Beauty From Pain
by GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G
Summary: A strange woman is found half dead in Hueco Mundo & brought back 4 questioning. She dosn't speak their language, is extreamly stubborn, & did I mention she could shift the odds of war in Aizens favor. How will this young lass alter the bleach world?
1. The Woman

**Author: **GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters. More so for the latter.

_Hallooo. I, GrimmjowsMaster (don't you forget it XD), bring you Beauty From Pain :D. I've been working on this story for quite some time now. I wanted to get some of the later chapters done before I started publishing it, but little did I know the first two chapters would be the ones loaded with writer's block. They were killers TT^TT but now they'redone, or, at least, this one is. _

_Yeah, in case you didn't read the rating (though I don't know why you would read this and not the rating) it's rated M. There is a bit of language, but I mean, come on, people, its Grimmjow! Of course there will be language. But mostly it is rated as it is because of some material later on not suitable for the wee ones (you know what I mean ~vO) for later on, someone will go and- not telling! XD ya all will have ta read ta find out. Humor me, people._

_Incase you're reading this but don't follow the Bleach series (in which case I am deeply honored) then let me tell you a few facts you might want to know before you begin. There is this place call the Soul Society. It's where souls go after they have "passed on". Shinigami are like warriors who fight to protect people, living and dead, from things called hollows, bad souls that eat other souls. The Soul Society is made up of thirteen court guard squads in which said shinigami reside. Each squad has a captain that runs it._

_At one point in the story line, three captains left the Soul Society to try and take over the world (your typical bad guy deal). They were Aizen Sousuke, captain of the Fifth squad and leader of the bad guys, Gin Ichimaru, captain of the Third squad, and Kaname Tosen, captain of the Ninth squad (he's blind, just so you know). They went to this place called Waco Mundo, which is like a giant desert, it's where the hollows live. There they built this castle called Los Noches, where they live (Yes, I know. It's a Japanese anime but everything protaning to Waco Mundo is Spanish)._

_Once there, they created their own arrancar army. Hollows are known by two things, they have white masks that cover their face and they have a hole some where through their body. An arrancar is a hollow that has removed its masked and optained the powers of a shinigami, though they do keep a part of their mask. Another thing you might want to know, the more an arrancar looks like a hollow (usually represented by how much hollow mask they have), the less powerful it is. _

_Aizen uses this thing called the hogyoku, a small black sphere like a marble, to turn the hollows into arrancars. He crated over a hundred arrancars, but the ten most gifted killers among them were given the rank of Espada and are given numbers based off on their rank. For instance, Grimmjaw is the sixth strongest, so he is given the rank of Sexta Espada, which is sixth in Spanish. You will hear me refer to them in both their English and Spanish versions of the number (like Sexta or Sixth, Cuarta or Fourth). Their numbers are tattooed somewhere on their body._

_Also, there is this thing called retsu, it's spirit pressure, ever living thing has it. The more retsu you have the stronger you are. They also fight with swords, they can release their swords to obtain their true form and their full power. I don't think there is anything else you need to, so with out further ado, her ya go._

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. At least not to my knowledge. But Grimmy's tied up on my bed X3 get ya mind outa da gutter. Perv XP

**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 1. The Woman

It was now the close of the third or forth month since the stranger had come into their domicile. They had found her on the outskirts of Hueco Mundo, and naturally brought the intruder back with them to be questioned.

When the newcomer had been discovered, she was thoroughly battered, bruises adorned all over her starving body. Gashes and cuts overpowered the pale skin that clung to her bones, as her tattered garb was stained red by the pool of her own blood in which she lay.

Grimmjaw mused now, at how weak she had appeared as she was held in deaths icy grip, vermin eating at parts of her almost rotting flesh. It had taken several weeks of intensive care before she was even able to wake, but after that, she took no time in asserting her strength.

After a dance with death, one would expect her to be as fragile as a newborn. Yet from the moment she had awoken, she had begun to bark at them and order commands in a coarse choppy language which none could identify. She insisted on walking, if you could call it that, by herself as she attempted to regain her legs. Glaring at any who gave her so much as an intrigued glance, she wouldn't even let the healers feed her, let alone heal her.

Despite her weakened state she carried herself with a stubborn strength, whether out of foolish pride or self reliance, Grimmjaw could not say, nor did he care much at all. She had her own defiant forte about her that allowed her to be perceived as composed and unwavering no matter how much her movements faltered.

Aizen had, of course, taken an acute interest in the young vixen. Her determination and stamina astounded him, and his inability to communicate with the rogue gypsy only commenced to add an air of mystery about her. But to say that Aizen alone was tickled by curiosity towards the viperous beauty would have been to speak with a deceitful tongue.

Everyone in Las Noches was captivated by the lost kitten that had wandered to their doorstep. Something about her seemed at odds, like an imbalance; it was as if she was always somewhere else. And not just in mind. No matter how many times he past by, Grimmjaw always got the sense that a crucial fragment of her wasn't physically there. That is to say, there was just a sort of half hearted sense of her presence, almost as if half of her was cloaked, or not even there at all.

Overall she was what one might call an oddity. A tall lean figure, she stood strong and unyielding, yet lilting in her movements. Long sinuous limbs stretched out and moved with the subtle grace of the branches of a willow tree. Skin was coarse and tan like wet sand of a beach framed by a golden sunset. Despite her strong stature, she had a lingering weariness about her that suggested a prolonged journey. Scars stained her skin with marks of battles long since past, and her feet appeared to always be caked in dirt, callused and bruised with the tales of her travels. Seeing as she never wore shoes, this was somewhat expected.

Her hands were trim and fluid in their movements, allowing them to better express herself. But to what most considered a shame, she wore at all times a set of skaters leather gloves, the black fabric stopping shortly before meeting the middle knuckle of each finger. Untamed red hair hung uncut as it fell in long locks to her hips. Often tied back to allow her renegade bangs to fall strewn across her forehead, it glistened with a silky sheen in wisps much akind to a horse's tail. Thereby, the term "ponytail" was much befitting.

Dazzling eyes gleamed like two gems, a solid scarlet, a deep blood color. They held the ability to pierce whoever she dared cast them upon. Fizzling with a pure innocence of selflessness, yet at the same time, her eyes were tainted with a forthcoming festivity. Defiant authority filled her gaze, as if she could see what was to come and divulge it to those whom she marked of noble intention. Drowned in a concrete finality, those two brilliant orbs could gorgonize the likes of any man. Yet through all this, they protracted a jagged disposition of broken pools of distrust, reprove of blasphemous nature.

Framed by heavy illustrious lashes, they swept out with a weightless grace that fluttered like butterfly wings. And beneath the outer regions of each eye there lay three ovular tattooed dots. Each a deep hearted red so concentrated that it would oftentimes come across as a crimson-black.

It seemed that upon arriving at the castle, she had adapted the hobby of quarreling with the Sexta Espada, like two barters on the market. Mattered not the cause nor the reason, as soon as those sharp ruby spheres caught sight of him, her face would contort in bitter annoyance and she would instigate a verbal barrage of jagged angular sounds at him. Probably cussing him out he figured, as she shook her fist menacingly in the air. As is needless to say, it didn't help the cause that Grimmjaw would always combat the assault of the seemingly delinquent girl with an onslaught of obscenities all his own.

There they would stand, heatedly rambling their twisted furies at each other, neither one understanding the other, hardly able to understand themselves. These arguments were to be heard several times a day throughout Las Noches, and would continue until finally some disgruntled Espada, usually consisting of Yami, Stark, Halibel, or Nnoitrora, would stalk over to drag an infuriated Grimmjaw away.

The reason for their discrepancy was unknown. It had just been that since the beginning they had been cat and dog at each others throats. But despite their differences there was one thing the teal haired Espada had liked her for.

She utterly despised Ulquiorra. With a total burning distrust. When ever he was in her presence, it did not matter who was there, all she would do was glare at him disdainfully. She even went as far as to circle him with her menacing gaze, never breaking her stare, not until the time at which he finally left.

He didn't see why everyone was so worked up over the girl. There were plenty of other hollows out in Hueco Mundo. What was so great about this one? Grimmjaw was really beginning to regret bringing her back after finding her. _Shoulda just left her for dead. Damn bitch! She was nothing but one big pain in the ass. She doesn't do anything. Just stalks around and yells at people. It is fun to watch her try and pick a fight with Ulquiorra and all, but still, she's not even that hot. Though I must say, she sure does ha-_

Just then his thoughts were interrupted by a large bare foot kicking him in the backside, the force of the blow sending him tumbling forward to sprawl across the floor. Snarling irritably, he stared up at his attacker.

Blood tinted orbs fixed pointedly at him with glares of repulsive annoyance shooting daggers down at him. Impatiently, she gave a harsh mutter under her breath, growling slightly in revulsion. Jumping to his feet, he took a fighting stance as he barked,

"Ya got a death wish or something!" the girl just snorted before replying somewhat sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"de, marra baruen."

Bandages were visibly seen from beneath her tattered shirt and pants. Aside from refusing their healers help, the girl had also refused any new clothes. Much of her womanly body was covered in the white dressings despite the course of time she had spent recovering. But the wrappings weren't all that bad for her considering her tattered clothes would have been far more revealing if it weren't for the white strips that laced her body beneath.

Reaching out, Grimmjaw seized what remained of the collar of the redhead's shirt, only to have her in turn grab his wrist as if she did not find him much of a threat.

"Playin' nice ya two?" the sly voice teased as a spindly hand was placed on the Sexta's shoulder. Still clutching the girl, the teal haired head whipped around to glare piercingly into the two smiling eyes that met him. Gin.

"Yar late f'r da meetin' ya kno'." The silver haired fox prompted, leaning his head to one side.

"Oh shit!" and with that the fight broke up as quickly as it had started. The sixth ran off in one direction while the ex-shinigami was left behind along with the mysterious young redhead. Turning to face the lovely stranger, Gin offered up a hand in hopes that she would take it.

"Shall we, m' dear?" The female just eyed him wearily before sauntering off to follow the other begrudgingly.

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When Gin and the redhead finally reached the meeting room, they were an hour late.

"How kind of you Gin, to bring the guest of honor along with you." The man at the end of a long white table complimented as he turned in his seat to face them, "Come here my dear. I will not bite." But the girl remained unmoving.

"Go on. Go on." Gin coaxed, nudging her forward. Catching on to the command, the redhead strode the length of the table and came to stand erect and motionless beside the seated Ulquiorra. However, instead of respectfully giving Aizen her undivided attention, the girl turned her head to glare menacingly at the fourth, snarling defensively. The fair skinned, raven haired Espada spared her a fleeting glance before returning his apathetic gaze to their leader.

"Well we are a fierce little thing, are we not?" Aizen mused, his hand taking a gentle hold of her arm. The girl's head snapped away from the emo arrancar, wide eyes watching his hand intently, though not with fear or surprise or apprehension. "Do not worry," the brunette offered up a trustworthy smile. "We will not harm you." To this the sixth could not, nor did he attempt to, hold back a snort of disgust. This action thus earned him a disapproving glower from the Quarta Espada. Not that he cared.

Aizen carried on, seemingly unnoticing of the Sexta's disapproval. I say seemingly, because nothing goes unnoticed by their leader. Well almost nothing.

"Tell me my dear, from were do you hale?" Leaning forward, the brunette took her hands in his own, much like a father takes his daughter in hand.

"Ba shoo mu chilu?" she questioned with a befittingly puzzled expression on her beautiful face.

"Do you by chance know Japanese?"

"Jupineez?" Grimmjaw just rolled his eyes. _If she knew any Japanese, don't ya think she would o started understanding us a long time ago?_

Releasing one of her hands, the brunette reached across the table and picked up his cup of tea. Bringing up her other hand that remained in his grasp; he placed the cup in her open palm.

"Here, have a drink." The girl stared at the brown drink, then at the brunette that offered it to her, then back to the drink. Slowly, cautiously, she raised the glass to her lips, but instead of taking a sip she sniffed it. She stared down at it credulously, yet seemed to find it to pose no danger to her as she brought the glass to her lips and tilted it slightly.

PSYCH! Or at least that's what Grimmjaw assumed she meant when she yelled "BASHI MUE!" and doused Ulquiorra in the drink. Jumping back in an almost dancing manner, the redhead pointed an accusing finger at Aizen as she began to spew forth strained noises in a flurry of clicks and plucks and other bizarre sounds.

"Miona deera zon box ferin. Blush montala cruch belinggaling. Min ato bockintoto bakychiti lugbana xixwiintru cauruuew joo metu baku chu. Mita! Mushmush jameta bea kuu xiv. Heht yeao prudeky myn ota."

"What's wrong with her!? She rabid or something!?" Nnoitrora shouted as he scooted back from the agitated figure.

_Can't say I blame the girl. Tea ain't the most appetizing o drinks. _Grimmjaw sympathized. However, Aizen did not appear enraged as much as intrigued, maybe even fascinated. Reaching out, the ex-captain offered up his hand to the youth.

"There there my dear. No one will harm you." He comforted, offering up an assuring smile, but the girl was no one's fool. Shaking her head like mad, she crossed her arms in an X in front of her.

"Don't think she trustz it Aizen-sama." Gin pointed out in amusement of the young vixen. Their leader cocked an eyebrow at the silver haired fox's choice of words, none the less, he took it to mind. Reaching over, he grabbed a second glass decorated with dandelions that had been originally prepared for him, and raising it to his lips, took a sip. Turning to offer the girl a smile, he proved that the drink had in no way been tampered with.

With hope, he again held the glass out, and again, the girl surveyed the cup of steamy tea wearily. The woman took a step forward to better scrutinize the drink, only to once more jump back, shouting an unholy ruckus in some gibbering dialect. Insistently Aizen pushed the glass in her direction. The girl again shook her head vigorously, speaking in that coarse tongue of her's, but then made her intentions clear.

Pointing a finger at the cup, she stated clearly, "banu moshy," then lifting the finger, she willed it to point directly at the sixth himself. All eyes came to fall upon the surprised, if not a bit irritated, Grimmjaw.

"Aw, I see." Aizen mused as he, too, turned to face the Sexta Espada, a cunning smile lacing his lips. _What does he see?_ The teal haired man wondered aggravatedly as his glared darted between the girl and their 'god'.

"Fufufufufu," Gin began to laugh as he leaned in closer to the table, "She doesn't trust Aizen-sama. Da girl wantz ya ta drink it ta prove it ain't poisoned. Wha a clever li'l witch." Scrunching his nose, the teal haired Espada sat up straight, glaring at all three of them as he did.

"Like hell I'm drinkin' it." He growled resistantly as the woman glowered back, an equally stubborn mind.

"Now, now, Grimmjaw, if you know it is not poisoned, then what is there to worry about?" Aizen taunted.

"I ain't worried about nothin'. I just ain't goin' ta drink that damn tea because that f***er wants me to!"

"Aww, is da wittle Grimm-kitty afwade ta dwink da tea. Wha a scardy li'l puddy tat." Gin jeered.

"I ain't afraid o nothin', ya damn fox!" his temper flared as each syllable was individually growled out.

"Then drink it." Gin goaded, the sixth falling for the bait every step of the way. Snatching the glass from their leader, he downed it in one gulp, slamming the glass down when he had finished off its contents.

"There, ya damned fox, now lets see ya drink some!" Gin just offered a wily grin.

"Ne'er do somethin' ya cn get a mindless fool ta do f'r ya." Turning to the redhead, he affirmed, "See m' li'l witch, it ain't poisoned." But the girl still shied away from the glass that the silver fox presented.

With a heavy sigh Kaname, who had been standing back by the stairs, strode forward to stand behind the girl.

"It would be unwise to disobey Aizen-sama's orders. You are new here so we will over look it this once." As he issued the order/threat, he brought his hand to take a slightly firm hold on her shoulder. That's when it hit the fan, or, rather, the fan hit him.

In a blur, the woman whirled around with a cursing growl like that of a tiger, bringing her fist up to hit Tosen square in the jaw. As the man was sent to sprawl across the floor, the girl whipped around and grabbing Ulquiorra's sword, pulled the apathetic man to his feet to hold the sharp blade across his throat.

"Bau shu mautay, maunty batoyya!" she shouted as Ulquiorra's hands were jerked behind his back, his face remaining placid and devoid of emotion. Now while one might expect that more than a few Espadas would rise from their seats to defend their superiors, this was not the case. All nine other arrancars remained seated as they watched the scene with amusement.

A green light began to grow from between the Espada and woman recognizable as the glow of a cero. As the blast began to near its peak, the Quarta was interrupted.

"That's enough Ulquiorra." At his leader's command, the green light dissipated, leaving them completely. "I have made my decision." _And what decision is that, pray tell?_ "The one who shall be charged with the girls care, will be…" he paused dramatically, turning to gaze commandingly at the victim, "Grimmjaw."

"The f***!?!" the sixth argued, slamming his fist down on the table, causing it to crack.

"He will be in charge of guiding our young beauty through Las Noches and teach her our codes of conduct. Furthermore, you will need to find her some new clothes until we are able to get our guest her own. You, Sexta, are to be her caretaker, much like Tosen is to Wonderweiss." He raised an eye brow, "Do you understand… Grimmjaw?"

"Like f*** I do! Why am I the one that's gotta be saddled with that bitch! Give her ta Halibel or ya little pet over there! She seems ta like him just fine!" the response was snarled as he pointed to the passive Espada and his captor.

"Halibel already has three female fraccions and Ulquiorra is content without any. Lest you forget, you answer to me." He said it so pleasantly but with the most threatening look on his face. "Besides, you chipped my favorite glass." Glancing down at the cup that had previously been slammed, Grimmjaw saw a large chip running straight through the largest yellow puff ball.

_Well, there it is, the first chapter of Beauty From Pain. Please, I'm begging, *gets down on hands and knees* please, please, please read and review. My other fic I published got over 100 visitors and only 4 reviews. So please just review. It would take like, what, ten seconds to turn around and say,' like your work' or 'you suck' or 'needs work'. I'm not going to stand here and preach to ya but I do want to be a writer, so it would mean a lot if ya would please review. Yeah, I'll shut up now._


	2. Of Misfit & Men

**Author: **GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters

**Warning: **This chapter doesn't have a lot of bad stuff in it. Mostly the usual Grimmy and Nnoitrora dropping the f-bomb. Though this chapter does have some mild gore, just a little.

_Ha ha ha HA!!! I'm back! Be very afraid. *heh heh hehhehheh, heh heh hehheh* I laugh. I know, I'm insane X3 Anywho, thanks for staying with me this far. Chapter 2 was actually easier to write than the first. _

_I'd like to give a big thank you to all those who were nice enough to take the time to review. You really made my day, I'm not kidding. So here's a hug just for you. *hug* I wasn't the happiest about how the first chapter turned out. I thought it could have used some more detail. But your reviews absolutely positively lifted my spirits. You rock! XD Gin: "yeah! Wha she said."*Gin gives hug*_

_A lot of people wanted to know what language the strange redhead is speaking. Well, it's called Rulchi. Don't be surprised if you've never heard of it. It's not a well known language; in fact it's practically extinct and very rarely found. _

_Some people also wanted to know who the strange woman ends up with. Well, 85% of Bleach characters are guys, so there are many options. I'm not going to tell ya 'cause that's part of the suspense of the whole story. Will it be an arrancar? Will it be an Espada? Will it be a shinigami? Will it be someone who loved her or someone who hurt her? We'll see :3 Plus I want to see who you guys want her to end up with and who you think she will end up with._

**Disclaimer: **I no own Bleach. But Gin is disguised as a plushy at the edge of my bed X3

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_Cry for me _

_Lie for me_

_Die for me too_

_Wake up in heavens arms born anew_

_-some random song _

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**Beauty From Pain**

Chapter 2. Of Misfit and Men

It was terribly late in the night, or maybe unbearably early in the morning, when all of slumbering Los Noches was awakened by a shrill alarm. Its sound sliced through the air with an icy chill that brought all jolting into consciousness as if they had been hit in the face by a bucket of ice water.

Hastening to scramble out of bed, Grimmjaw was quick to seize his sword, swinging it about wildly, ready to cut anybody. It was not until he found that no one was in the room that he became aware of the siren that sounded throughout the vast empty halls.

Wiping the sleep from his eyes the Sexta Espada jerked his door open enough to lean his head and upper torso out into the hallway. Frantic arrancars surged down the hallway, tripping and running into one another in hurried fashion.

"Hey. Ya with the face." The Sexta yelled to one of the nondescript arrancars. The timid thing jostled over to the higher rank, head bowed in respect or terror, one couldn't say which.

"Y-yes s-s-sir?" he asked shakily.

"What the hell is going on!?" the Sixth demanded.

"I-I-I don-don't know si-sir," he stammered as his frame began to tremble, "Th-the alarm woke us up-up and our s-superiors ordered us t-to different stations," the man kept tripping over his own tongue as he stood in fear of the cranky Espada.

"Didn't that jackass tell ya anything!" Grimmjaw demanded bitterly.

"N-no, no sir. Just w-w-where to go." The terrified arrancar quickly added meekly, "Please, don't kill me."

"hunf," the teal haired man snorted, "coward!" and with that he slammed the door.

Retreating back into his room, the Espada hastily donned his pants. Thrusting his sword into his belt, Grimmjaw did not even bother with his shirt as he flew out the door in hurried step. Shoving the low ranked foot soldier hollows out of his way, he searched through the disarray for someone who might know what was going on.

"Watch it! Move! Out of the way! Fraccion coming through!!!" Glancing down an adjoining passage, teal eyes came to rest upon the struggling figure of Rose, one of Halibel's fraccions. Turning to face the chaotic mass of soldiers hustling about the halls, the Sexta gave forth a deep throated growl, clasping the handle of his sword readily.

"Move it or lose it!" upon the instance, the whole company, in one instinct, shrank back to the walls in deadly terror. His steps rang their irritated tones through the oppressive stillness as he took to Rose's direction. "What the hell is going on!?" he demanded, shoving his hands into his pockets. The other was intimidated, but tried to hide it behind a stony glare.

"I don't know." She stated matter of factly, "I was just trying to find Halibel-sama to see if she knew."

"Yar kidding me! Does anybody in this f***ing place know what the hell this damn alarm is for! When did we even get the damn thing anyway!?!" Fuming irately, the Sexta's retsu flared, causing a cold sweat to break out in those who stood within twenty yards of the Sexta's person.

"I don't know what's going on, Grimmjaw," a familiar voice rang out coldly, "but I do know that Aizen-sama is having a meeting. I'm sure you can get your answers there. So please, I would appreciate it if you left my fraccion alone."

"Halibel," the Sexta growled.

"Grimmjaw-sama…" a respectful voice came to hearken at their ears. Turning around, they found that all the other arrancars had scattered away like rats from light, leaving only the two Espadas, Rose, and Grimmjaw's newly arrived fraccions. "What are your orders for dealing with the intruder?" Shawlong asked obediently.

"Intruder!?" Grimmjaw snapped.

"I presume that is what the alarm is for, or were my assumptions incorrect?" there was no hint of sarcasm in his voice as he espoused his theory.

"Hmph." The Sexta half-growled, half-snorted, "Find the f***ing bastard and kill him." He snarled as he turned in the direction of the meeting room. "When ya do, I'll be at another one of Aizen's f***ing meetings." With that, he disappeared as he sonido-ed down the hall and out of sight.

Rounding corners, down hallways, up stairs, he worked his way through the labyrinth that was Las Noches. The world passed by in a repetitive white blur, out of focus and out of mind. It was all so boring, so pointless, so empty. Grimmjaw became lost in thought as he weaved in and out of hallways, knocking down any one who got in his way.

As he rounded the corner and began sonido-ing down the vast emptiness of the corridor lined by windows, a slight flutter caught his eye. Halting suddenly, he skidded along the floor as he turned to see what had moved. For a moment, all was empty and all was still. But then, with an abrupt flurry of white, there was the same waving and shaking as before. It was similar in appearance to a flag fluttering in the breeze from an open window twenty or thirty yards away from the onlooker, before it again darted out of sight. Rushing to the window, the Espada leaned out so as to get a better look at the source of the disturbance. As he looked up, his jaw dropped.

There, clinging to the smooth wall was the woman. Red hair flowing in the slight wind, she growled aggravatedly as she stared determinedly at the wall. Grimmjaw didn't even know how the girl was hanging on. There were no cracks, crevasses or ledges for her to cling to. Her hands splayed out flat against the frictionless wall, one foot brought in close to press against the wall as a brace, the other extended out as it fought for support.

Leaning even further out the mouth of the window, the Sixth latched onto the girl's ankle. With one swift jerk, the strong man yanked her off the wall and into the safety of the hallway like a rag doll, sending the redhead tumbling across the floor in a startled surprise.

"So ya're the one causing all the ruckus!!" he shouted at the disoriented woman who only stared back quizzically at him.

"Eesh cree mie chu!?" she stammered as if questioning whether that had really just happened. The other just glared loathingly as he permitted a fervent growl to sound forth from his throat.

"Do ya know how much trouble ya caused!? Because a ya I had to wake up at Aizen damn midnight and go to some shit meeting just to deal with whatever the hell ya've done! Ya freaking bitch!" As he stomped over, the girl stood up to give protest to the approaching figure, but was abruptly silenced by the broad hand that roughly seized her by the back of her shirt collar. "I'll be damned if I'm paying for yar mess! Let Aizen deal with ya! Come on!" The still wounded body of the female could not react in time to lurch free of the man's hold, before he began to sonido away with her in his restraint. Startled, the woman felt nauseated at the unwarned sonido. She was helplessly dragged along as the strong male pulled her behind him.

Whipping around corners, leaping down stair wells, blasting holes in walls to create shortcuts, she swore to herself that if this man didn't kill her first, she'd decapitate him. By the time they had reached the meeting room, the redhead felt thoroughly that her insides were on the outside and her skin was curling off her body, an unfortunate side affect of sonido-ing while in her injured condition.

Grimmjaw burst through the entry with a loud clangor as the steel doors drew back on their iron hinges to collide with the wall. All within the room stared in unexpected silence as the bemused Sixth dragged his resistant quarry over to the elongated table. With a grunt, the Sexta Espada heaved the woman up to tumble and sprawl across the table as the perpetrator struggled to let her stomach catch up with her. Staring repugnantly down at the figure, the teal haired man used one arm to prop himself up against the table before looking up to meet all the gawking onlookers.

The brunette that sat at the head of the table cocked an eyebrow while the silver haired shinigami behind him leaned forward in curiosity so as to get a better look at the young lass. Snarling slightly, the blue eyed arrancar opened his mouth to denounce what had been found, but was instantaneously thwarted as an indiscernible object hurtled through the air, coming to crash right into the Espada's scowling face. Irate and queasy, the woman had thrown the first thing she found within reach at he who dared abduct her. This had turned out to be a pillow that the fatigued Stark had brought to the meeting, in mind of putting the article to good use.

Admittedly, a pillow, though no matter how hard it is thrown, will never cause much damage. But this had not stopped the youth from launching it at her irritation in retribution. Though truth be told, aside from vexing her antagonist further, it did seemed to have the affect of momentarily bewildering him. Crouching on bended knee upon the tables surface, she glared and hissed at the other, appearing much like the depiction of a cat with its ears pinned back.

"Pru di kii!" she spat as she moved to lunge at the teal haired man. A throng of Espada, consisting of Yami, Stark, Halibel, Nnoitrora, and even Gin, leapt forth to hold the lean figure back. Despite her wounded condition, her emaciated body, and her weakened form, she still seemed to maintain a substantial amount of power within the holds of her abused flesh. So much so, that it took the five of them to wrestle her back down and into submission.

Ever the intentional antagonist, Grimmjaw made a point of walking by her, glancing down at her as if in inferiority, and snorting repeatedly before taking his seat to the right of Aizen. To this the redhead growled menacingly, struggling further against her restrainers. This solicited to him a multitude of glares from those attempting to detain the young vixen.

But this did not bother the Sexta Espada in the least as he fell heavily back to slouch in his seat. Ulquiorra gave him a glazed lethargic stare before turning to Aizen as if in waiting.

With a pleasant sigh, Aizen took a soft sip of his tea, the others taking this as a sign that the meeting was to begin. Noiselessly, he set the fine china down on the plate, folding his hands to look out on his "children".

"I can imagine you all are wondering as to why I have called you here so particularly late at night." To this Nnoitrora snorted irritably. Luckily for him Aizen ignored his attitude.

"It has been brought to my attention that a certain amount of data was commandeered from Szayel's lap top. Information pertaining to and profiling each individual arrancar and his or her abilities, strengths, weaknesses, etc, etc, etc. The perpetrator has broken into the Octavo's lab, hacked into the system, copied the files, and is presently running loose somewhere within Las Noches."

"The damned bastard even inserted 18 different adaptive viruses into my system! Do you have any idea how long it will take to clean that out!?!" Everyone just passed the pink haired scientist a rather bored glance before returning their gaze back to their leader.

"Yes, well, anyway, as is needless to say," _but yar going to say it anyway. _"we can not simply let someone escape from Las Noches with that kind of information. Therefore, I have had Gin and Kaname post guards at every door." Said arrancars gave a short nod to confirm their leader's statement. "But you, my Espadas, are to go out and search through Waco Mundo in case the intruder has already escaped."

"Wait just an Aizen damn minute!" Grimmjaw snarled as he slammed his hands down on the table, standing in the process. "Why the f*** do we have ta go running all around Waco Mundo when the bitch is right here!?" Some turned to stare at the detained woman, some gave the Sexta quizzical glances, and Nnoitrora just scoffed as he held down the redhead's arms.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The Fifth sneered as he shifted his position to better restrain the girl.

"I caught her trying to climb out the window. She's ya f***ing thief, so ya can call the hounds off." His tone oozed sarcasm. With the way Szayel was staring at him you would have thought he was an idiot. "What the f*** is yar problem!? I caught yar hacker, didn't I!?"

"That's impossible…" the Eighth worded in a whisper.

"No, it ain't. I caught her climbing down the damn wall, trying to escape."

"You must be mistaken, I saw the perpetrator before they ducked out the… It was a black haired shinigami, and he was male."

"So, she is working with the Soul Society, big deal. That just means we have one more to capture."

"Dude, little miss Misfit ain't one o them. Unless they're accepting arrancars now." Yami sneered as he moved back from restraining the woman to sit in his seat.

"Arrancar? What the hell are ya talking about?" Grimmjaw barked aggravatedly. Moving slightly to sit beside the girl on the table, Nnoitrora shooed the others away as he lifted the woman to sit on his lap. The redhead was a little flustered at first, but became still as the Fifth put his hand on her shoulder farthest from him. Reaching out, two long spindly fingers drew her bangs back like a curtain to reveal what lay underneath.

"See. Now would a shinigami have a piece of a hollow mask?" Grimmjaw stared; take aback at the white remains that stood out against the girl's tan forehead. There, at the top of the bridge of the nose, in between her eyebrows, sprouted out what looked like a flower with two corresponding leaves to each side. The leaves were slender things that pulled up and away from the stem gracefully, leaving the tear-shaped bud to stand predominantly alone in the center of her forehead. That was all that remained of her hollow mask, a white flower shaped chip about the size and half the length of one's pinky finger.

"Don't tell m' ya ne'er noticed it?" Gin hummed as he sauntered over to stand beside Aizen.

"What the hell. Her bangs were covering it." He retorted indignantly.

"You had to have noticed it with as many times as ya been checking her out." Nnoitrora teased as he watched the anger rise in the Sixth.

"Who the hell would check out that ugly piece of f***!!" he shot defensively.

"How rude." Nnoitrora taunted as he playfully hugged the girl, who in turn attempted to struggle loose from the Fifth's grasp.

"M' thinkz yon Grimmy doth protestz too much." Gin snickered as he poked the Espada's side.

"Moving on," Aizen stated, disregarding the whole kit and caboodle. "We must find this man and capture him before-" The brunette was cut off by the sudden opening of the steel doors as a rush of light flooded the dimly lit room. Everyone blinked rapidly in an attempt to adjust their eyes to the bright luminosity as they attempted to distinguish the silhouetted figure that stood frozen in the doorway. Szayel was first to classify the newcomer.

"You bastard!" the scientist yelled as he stood up from his seat, pointing an accusing finger at the figure. There, gawking like an idiot, was a raven haired shinigami. His hair spiky and uncontrolled, part of it was pulled back into a ponytail as it stuck out at odd angles. His muscles were one of his most predominant features and his broad shoulders and tall stature helped to emphasize his well formed physique. _Ok, yeah, defiantly couldn't be mistaken for her,_ Grimmjaw thought as his eyes drank in the sight of the dumbfounded enemy.

"Aw, shit," The man worded breathlessly. He turned to run but found Ulquiorra to be impeding his path. He turned to take of the other direction, and there stood Kaname, serving as a second obstacle for the intruder. There was very little the shinigami could do but run directly into the lions' den.

Skillfully dodging ceros and swords that were slung at him, the man danced his way about the room, desperately trying to make it to the stairs at the other end. Szayel especially appeared eager to cut the thief down, repeatedly attempting to slash the man in two as he swung his sword wildly about. As Grimmjaw went to strike a blow, the raven haired intruder drew his sword and sloppily swung at the Sexta Espada, managing to slice a sizable gash in the Sixth's upper arm by some means of luck. Clutching his arm, Grimmjaw let out a curse as he again lashed out, and again missed.

As he came to the stairs, the man placed one foot on the first step and, looking up, to his horror, he found Aizen and Gin standing at the top, waiting for him. He froze as the realization dawned on him that he was surrounded. Turning shakily, he confronted his pursuers, shouting loud and clear, though the fear in his voice was almost tangible.

"Not another step, I'm warning you. If you ever want to see the hogyoku again, you won't take another step in my direction." Everyone was stiff frozen where they stood, glancing from the trespasser to their leader apprehensively. Aizen raised a brow at the man's statement.

"You have the hogyoku, do you?" he mused unaffectedly. The man faltered at the brunette's response, but quickly regained his composure.

"Damn straight I do. And if you don't want me to destroy it right here, right now, you'll do as I say." Cold beads of sweat began to form on the man's face as he attempted to stare down the ex-captain. He might as well attempted to stare down a cobra.

"Oh? Then where is it?" he challenged, a smile growing about his lips.

"Right here!" the man shouted as he raised his hand high for all to see. Every Espada, Gin, Tosen, and Aizen stared at… nothing. The man's hand was empty.

"Oh my Aizen! He's turned it invisible! The horror!" Gin yelled before Kaname gave him a disapproving glare, stating, "Quit fooling around."

"What the f*-" but the man never got to finish his sentence nor did he get the chance to finish any other. Out of nowhere, the top half of the man's head, from the middle of the bridge of his nose up, just disappeared, gone. His arms vanished as well only to suddenly materialize at his feet, each finger ripped off and broken to pieces. They lay scattered about the floor like rose petals painted with blood. A blood-spattered hole appeared in the man's chest where the heart would be.

In horror, they stared wide eyed at the butchered form, nausea settling deep in the pit of their guts. I say to their horror because hanging from the hole by a string of veins was the man's still beating heart. Dripping with the crimson liquid, its expanding and retracting motion continued for but a moment before slowly tapering away as the arrancars watched the man die literally from the inside. Several Espadas jolted back in start. An overwhelming sense of panic beseeched each individual as they struggled with the reality of what had happened. One even threw up at the sight. The body remained standing for a moment, blood seeping from the many wounds before toppling lifelessly to the floor, soiling the ground in the sticky liquid.

"Holly f***!!!" Nnoitrora, who was closest to the corpse, screamed as he backed up from the massacred remains of the man. "What the hell just happened!?!" Everyone turned to face Aizen, unsure of what their leader's limitations were. However, as they stared at their glorious leader, he too seemed in an utter flummox. Staring in bewilderment at the chaos intensely, his brows knitted together, mouth slightly agape as he searched for words.

"Who… did this?" he questioned instinctively, chocolate eyes never leaving the scarlet depiction of horror.

"Bendru matchi vlikkton blumoo testres," a voice rang softly but clearly through the silence, spoken in an off handed way as if the speaker was talking to her self. Turning sharply, all eyes fell upon the redhead, a sense of total disbelief coming to take hold of them.

There she stood, on the table, not a hair out of place, the only sign that she had moved at all was the blood that trickled down her arm. In one hand, she held the hogyoku like one would a delicate crystal, in the other was the man's head. Her fingers splayed out across its base, holding it out at a higher elevation than her own head as if she was about to start quoting Hamlet. She admired her own work in satisfaction. The luscious crimson liquid dripped down her fingers to soak into her glove and run down her arm to dribble from her elbow.

Silence came to consume as all eyes became transfixed upon the scarlet horror. After what seemed like an eternity, someone finally broke the stillness.

"D-Did she just do that." Yami asked to no one in particular. Suddenly Gin began to snicker.

"Lookz like our li'l witch got clawz." He mused as he surveyed the bloody corpse. The woman just stared mutely at the silver haired fox with her poisonous scarlet eyes, blinking twice before returning her gaze to the head that she held. A bored expression adorned her face as she turned to face the still bleeding Grimmjaw.

"Tormy," she stated, "bi munu." As the words were uttered, she tossed the head, still dripping blood, to the disgruntled Sexta. He caught it before throwing it to the floor in disgust.

"What the f***!" he spat as Gin helped the girl down off the table.

"Bootoo" she teased as she sauntered over to Aizen, wiping her bloody hand on her torn clothes. "baoutu mi?" she inquired as she handed him the hogyoku. Aizen offered up an amused if not pleased smile, as he took the marble sized black sphere.

"Thank you my dear." He praised as he patted the woman's head, "Grimmjaw,"

"Yeah," he murmured sarcastically.

"Did I not instruct you to provide our guest with new clothes?" They both looked at the redheads tattered shirt, her hole filled pants, the both old and new blood that remained splattered and smeared about her person.

"Musta slipped my mind," the Sexta grumbled as he stalked over to the woman irritably. Grabbing the girls arm, he began to drag her out of the room with her struggling as she clawed at his arm.

"I trust it will not happen again," The brunette assured. The Sixth only muttered something as a response as he pulled the woman in the direction of his room.

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Scooting the girl in, Grimmjaw shut the door behind them, almost locking it out of habit. The redhead eyed him wearily as she went to stand by the bed.

"Ok. Come on, get undressed." He growled, a disgusted frown ever present on his face as he glared at the guest. The girl just raised an eyebrow at him, unable to comprehend a word he said. Though understandably, she became rather defensive when the large male stalked over and attempted to peel away her clothes. Screeching and hollering, she fought him with all she had. Scratching his arms, kicking his legs, beating his chest, she clutched at the shredded remains of her clothes in an attempt to keep them from being removed by the rather grabby teal haired man.

"Will ya just take these damn things off!" he barked as he ripped the remainder of her clothes away. Stepping back, he looked her up and down. She was in not but her panties and the bandages that wrapped around her chest and other injuries. Her skin was tan all over and glistening in a light sweat from her struggles. _Not too bad, _he mused as he looked her over. _A little rough and rugged, but pretty sexy when ya get her down ta almost naked… and she shuts her trap. _Swap!

Grimmjaw's neck cracked as his head snapped to the side from the force the woman's hand had placed on his face. Her face was red and flustered as she glared at him indignantly, feeling quite scandalized as she studied him with all the careful distrust that his actions had inspired in her. The Espada opened his mouth to offer an angry rebuttal but was interrupted by another blow to his face, only this time it was her fist.

"Baushoo my!" she yelled as she tried to cover herself. The Sixth spun around to give a murderous stare to the one who struck him, but instead of lashing out, the teal haired man just turned to grab some of his spare clothes that lay on the bed. Throwing them at the girl, he snarled harshly,

"Put 'em on or I'll put 'em on f'r ya." The woman caught the garb and using it to shield her exposed form, twirled her finger in a motion for the man to turn around. Snorting, the Sixth just sat down on the bed as he watched with a look that was as if to say 'what ya goin' ta do about it'. With a snarl the woman quit the fight and began to dress herself in the Sexta Espada's uniform.

The white gi was, of course, a bit loose, but it left her well formed abs, or at least that much which the bandages exposed, to full view of the male arrancar. Her bosom was actually well accentuated by the loose fitting shirt as she rolled up the sleeves, much like the Sexta himself. The pants were, in a manner, adjustable to the form, shape, and size of the wearer, and came to gracefully flaunt her slender form, but when it came to the tying of the obi, the girl failed miserably. Instead of wrapping the band around her slender hips properly, she put it around and tied it off in a harsh knot. This made the sixth sneer as he gave a disdainful grunt.

"Ya doing it all wrong." He stated as he leaned over and began to untie the belt. At the start his gesture was only met with a harsh slap of the girl's hand against his, but upon the second try, there was presented no discouragement. As he wrapped the black fabric properly, the girl studied him closely, slightly taken aback, but more in wonder.

"There. That's how ya tie it." He stated looking up at the redhead as he leaned on his knees. She looked at him, then at the black wrapping, then at his face as if suddenly becoming aware of his presence. Not in bitterness did she mutter what the Sixth took as a thank you.

Reaching his hand out, he went to assist the girl with buttoning the shirt, only to swiftly recoil it as a surge of pain overtook his upper arm. Cursing at the pain, his hand clamped down around the still bleeding wound as more pain came to lace at his senses. The redhead watched him quizzically for a moment, before scurrying over to her old clothes.

The Sixth didn't bother watching her, too busy inspecting his wound to be bothered. She returned shortly, tossing something light and soft into the teal haired man's lap as she stared down at him. It was a package of bandages she had previously been carrying in her pocket. Grimmjaw stared up at her, though she gazed off into a corner, ignorant to the fact she was helping him.

"We're even." He grunted as he bandaged his arm, never looking up to meet her gaze, thought he could feel it upon him.

"My, my. Kitty-cat has a beautifully desirable woman alone in his room and all he does is give her some clothws?" A slinky voice taunted, "Grimm-kitty must be a defective product. Either that or he's a fag." The door shut behind Nnoitrora as he slithered in, a low threatening growl emanating from Grimmjaw's throat.

"Just try saying that again and watch me rip off ya balls and shove 'em down ya throat. Maybe ya can choke on raisins."

"Someone's boyfriend screwed them too hard last night." The Fifth continued, enjoying himself to the fullest.

"I'm warning ya, f*** off!"

"Not with you." Nnoitrora shot in defensive disgust, "But if you give me that lovely young skirt there, I'd be happy to oblige."

Grimmjaw just rolled his eyes as he stood to face the confused object of their disagreement.

"Ya know Aizen would kill ya if ya did anything ta her." Nnoitrora's scowl was greatly contradicted by his perverted smirk.

"Oh, I wouldn't _do _anything. I just want ta play with her a bit is all." He confessed as he sauntered over to the others. The redhead studied the two as they argued, trying to make heads or tails of the odd newcomer. Her eyes flickered back and forth between the men as they bickered and squabbled. Finally after minutes of careful observation, the woman decided that the newcomer creeped her out more than he did intrigue her. With a sigh, she went and laid down on the Sixth's bed, pulling the covers over her as if to take a nap.

It was several minutes before the male Espadas even realized she was asleep.

"Hey ya!" Grimmjaw ordered as he jerked away the covers, "Get outa my bed!" lithe hands pulled back at the sheets as she struggled to stay in sleeps sweet grip. A game of tug of war ensued, and resulted with the Sixth slipping and going crashing onto the bed.

"Jeez Grimm-kitty, are you really that desperate that you'd force yourself on her?" Nnoitrora mused as he watched the seen in enjoyment.

"Shud up!" he growled as he pulled himself up to, unknowingly, kneel over the redhead as he straddled her waist. The door opened.

"Dear m'. Wha ever is goin' on?" Gin asked in mock surprise mixed with his usual sarcasm.

"Grimmjaw's getting _friendly_ with the new girl." The Fifth denounced.

"I am not, ya bastard." The Sixth shouted as he hovered over the woman in a rather suggestive manner.

"Then wha are ya doin'? Givin' her a thorough physical?" Gin snickered. The Sexta would have offered a retort but was interrupted as the redhead threw him from above her and onto the floor. "Aww, look, she's even wearin' ya clothes. How cute." Grimmjaw just growled up at the ex-captain from his position on the floor.

"Come with m', my dear." Gin cooed as he took the girl's arm, lifting her up off the bed by it and to her feet, "Please allow m' ta show ya ta yar room." Leading the viperous female along, the silver haired fox came to a door at the other end of Grimmjaw's room.

Opening the door, the ex-shinigami lead the girl into a brightly lit white rooms. The girl shielding her eyes against the lights that streamed in through the large window on the eastern wall.

"This is yar room." the silver haired shinigami stated.

A queen sized bed was cozily coddled in the northwest corner, left of the door she entered, and a love seat place in the middle of the room with a coffee table facing a large half circle shaped window. A door to her right lead to a quaint bathroom with a sink, toilet, and shower/bath, while another door on the northern wall, next to the bed, led out into the hallway. As usual, everything was white, plain, and boring. You would think Aizen could afford some paint.

"Where the hell did this room come from and why the hell is it adjoined to mine!?" Grimmjaw raved angrily. Apparently he had picked himself up off the floor and was leaning over the redhead as he surveyed her room. The woman gave no reaction as she walked over to plop down on the bed, stretching her tired limbs out. Gin chuckled as the girl curled up in the blankets, Nnoitrora joining in as his gaze fell heavily upon the young beauty.

"What's so damn funny?" the Sixth growled as his stare shifted between the slumbering woman and the amused two who stood beside him.

"Nothing," Nnoitrora mull over, "Just amusing how she can totally slaughter a man, then fall right ta sleep like there ain't a damn thing wrong with it. I think she'll fit in just fine."

_Dut duddallut dut duuuuu~ there ya have it, chapter 2. Grimmy: "How come I'm the only one that got wounded!!!" Don't ask me, ask the guy that cut you. Oh, wait, he's DEAD!X3 Just so you all know, the reason redhead was climbing out the window was because she had seen the shinigami dude and had chased him till he jumped out the window and started climbing the wall. Quite the little vixen, isn't she? Wonder if Nnoitrora will be right. Mmmmmm_

_Anyway, the usual. Please review. Me and the guys from my bleach harem would really appreciate it. Hope you all enjoy the second chapter. I worked really hard on it so hope it doesn't totally suck. Thanks for reading it. *bows respectfully* das vadanu. _


	3. Language

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning:** Nothing particularly bad this chapter, just Grimmy's usual bad language.

_Hella, hella, hella! XD Welcome to the third chapter of Beauty From Pain. In this chapter our mystery woman is introduced to Grimmjaw's fraccions. Yay! From now on she is going to be acting less defensive as she gets more comfortable with her surroundings, especially since D-Roy takes quite a shine to her. X3 You'll find certain parts of my story are somewhat predictable, well, the small parts anyway. But some parts you won't even see coming. They'll surprise you like a fish slapping you in the face. Random, I know. X3 Just so ya know._

_Some people have noted that I spell Grimmy's name with an A instead of an O. Well, there are actually two spellings of it and I just prefer using an A. Also it has been said that I am spelling Nnoitra's name wrong. I apologize. I will try and correct that from now on. I'd like to give a special thanks to Narutard4life54 for his/her (don't want to be rude) reviews. They really made my day. X3 you rock. d=v=b I'd also like to thank everyone that read my story and is still with me today. Sorry, I seem to be having a sentimental moment. Weird, huh?_

_Soon we will be getting into her powers and the more of their language she learns, the more we will learn of her past. Ooh, O.o exciting X3 Since she doesn't know their names, our little Misfit gives the people she interacts with names of her own in Rulchi, each pertaining to their personality. Let's see if you can pick them out. XD_

**Disclaimer: **I own bleach like Michal Jackson wants to be a woman. It's only a dream. But between you and me… , … , Grimm-Grimm is tied up in my closet. ^w^

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Crack the Earth, Gods of Thunder

Man and beast will be torn asunder

Into the Fight I own the right

To be the King of kings

My enemies rise and look to the skies

They Pray I will never appear

The Light has no meaning

Awaken me I'm dreaming

They live in a castle of fear

I summon the demons that live in the wind

As my Chariot strives in the Storm

With the hot blood of Battle

I wait in my saddle

I live and I'll die by the sword

-King of Kings by Manowar, album: Gods of War-

(It's a really cool song. Check it out. It really seems to fit Grimmy)

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**Beauty From Pain**

Chapter 3. Language

Grimmjaw raised an arm, growling viciously, deflecting the barrage of books that flew across the room, aimed with accurate precision at him. The hardbacks blurred through the air, accompanied by a grand diversity of clicks, clucks, and rolls of the tongue that served as his assailant's communication. Never did the aggressor falter in her offensive, throwing whatever first met her grasp, across the broad ovular work table. She managed to empty an entire shelf before finally landing a blow on the infuriated Espada. A rather thick manuscript landed sharply in the crook of his shoulder, splaying its many pages open as it collided with his clavicle thereafter falling to the floor with the sound of flipping pages and a heavy thud. Victoriously, she sang out her battle cry, a sequence of harsh clucks and trills spewing forth in a hiss.

"ddeacclluuu vurrrrtth fleu chilk phlooqv!"

"You little bitch!" Hoisting one of the oak desk chairs that littered the room, he raised it above his head with one hand and hurled it at the vixen. She seemed in no way surprised at his irrational actions and made no effort to dodge the swiftly approaching furniture. Instead, she brought an arm up, palm flat to face the projectile as if commanding the missile to halt midflight, but it did not. Quite the opposite. It came to crash into her hand, a sickening crackle shattering the air. Grimmjaw was either beside himself with indignation or stunned into dumbfounded silence.

As the sturdy wood had come into contact with the tanned skin, it became inscribed with scores of serrated fractures that jutted forth through the course of the wood, engulfing it in crevasses. As if struck by lightning, the chair exploded, sending the splintering cascades of its vestiges to fly in a torrent around the room. Slivers no larger than mechanical pencil lead littered the floor as they were the only proof to the chair's existence.

Never before had the teal Espada chanced a glimpse at any variation of the girl's power and found it now sending ripples of cold shudders down the length of his spine for some unknown reason. They stood there, overwhelmed in silence for a moment as Grimmjaw stared at the woman, who in turn watched as the splintered pieces of the chair fell through the air like helicopter seeds. _WHAT the F*** was THAT!?! _The Sexta gawked.

"Now, Grimmjaw, is that anyway to treat our guest?" A large spiritual pressure came to fill the room as the ex-shinigami leader came to their company. Grimmjaw just glared, his throat encompassing a small snarl at the thought of what the brunette would have him do now.

"Hey, she's the one that attacked me first. I was just defending myself." He barked, pointing an accusing finger at the redhead, who just gave Aizen a charmed smile.

"Come, come, how old are you? Besides, surly she must have had a reason for lashing out. You didn't try anything in my absence, did you?" Aizen gave the other male a distrustful stare while the female walked over to stand next to him.

"I just came here like Gin told me to." The Sixth snarled begrudgingly. "I was just following orders. He said ya had a mission for me and would meet me at the library in the East Wing. Then I get here and that little bitch started attacking me," he declared, pointing an accusing finger at the redhead.

"Well, what did you do to her to warrant such behavior?" Aizen retorted.

"Briden?" Before the irked Espada could offer up an angry rebuttal, the woman had stolen the brunette's attention by tugging gently at his sleeve. "Toshimo ckotu licktzen vondoy?" she asked quizzically. Aizen just patted the girl's head, presenting her with a reassuring smile as he led her to the table. Motioning for her to take a seat, the redhead obeyed as the ex-captain turned to address his subordinate.

"I have another job for you, Sexta." A sense of dread came to wash over the teal haired man at the tone the other took. "You are to teach our young beauty our language, so that she may properly communicate with us."

"What!"

"Was I not speaking English?"

"Well, what the hell! Ya already got me babysitting her. I feed her, clothe her, I'm f***ing stuck with her 24/7! I do everything short of bathing her!"

"Is that a request?" Aizen mused tauntingly.

"F*** no!" Grimmjaw snarled in disgust, "I ain't f***ing doin' it!"

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With an irritated growl, the Sexta Espada allowed the books to fall with a bang upon the dark wood of the worktable. Lifting his gaze, he came to stare with irked expression at the redhead that sat, for once, quiet in his presence, glaring up with spiteful disdain. Shifting his weight to one arm, he propped himself up against the table giving a ragged sigh of frustration. He didn't understand how the hell Aizen expected him to teach her their language when no one could even identify her's. And why him! The girl hated him more than any, and from where Grimmjaw stood, the feeling was quite mutual. It not like she would even understand he was trying to teach her.

The Sexta Espada had already spent about three or more hours trying to teach the young vixen names of different Espadas and their three ex-shinigami leaders, all to no avail. He had also attempted to teach the girl some very basic questions she would use on a daily basis, only to have it end in a fight that had taken an hour to resolve.

He picked a book from the top of the stack he had accumulated, turning it over in his one hand to study it in half-interest. On its red cover was printed, in a fluent regal font, Weapons through the Ages. Opening the stiffened pages, he flipped through the sheets covered in worded lines until he managed to find something of substance.

"Hey, Misfit. Take a look at this." Despite her resentful glare, the girl allowed her attention to be directed to the box the teal haired man was pointing at. Inside the small rectangle was portrayed a long sword that curved out into a graceful sweep. Its narrow blade was sharp on both sides, though one side looked like it was shaped to resemble fire, the other water. Every type of sword gives a distinctive cut when it slices through flesh and this one appeared to have all the characteristics capable of inflicting the type wounds with which the young vixen was found.

"You recognize it? Looks like the blade someone used to carve you up a few months ago." His cocky sneer was matched only by the mocking gleam in his eyes as he soaked in the girl's wide-eyed reaction. Standing abruptly, the redhead wrenched the book from his grasp and flung it across the room where it landed in a crumpled heap. As she slouched in her seat she muttered something bitterly, staring off into a corner, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Touchy." He could not help but feel slightly empowered at finding something that ruffled her feathers.

Moving on, he decided to start with something simple.

"Table," he stated, pointing to the structure on which he leaned. The girl just stared at him incredulously as if he were insane. To this, Grimmjaw just rolled his eyes, snorting at the woman's response. "Table," he repeated, slamming his hand on the wooden surface for emphasis. The redhead just raised an eyebrow, not sure what the man was doing.

"Oh, my Aizen, I feel like a f***ing idiot." He grumbled under his breath as he lowered his head in annoyance.

"Machi Cona?" the female stated, leaning her head down to rest on the table, peering up at the man with questioning eyes, as if in concern, though he knew her better than that. Reaching out, she placed her hand on the man's forehead, using the parts the glove did not cover to deduce whether the man had a fever or not. He did not. Then why was he acting so foolish, she wondered. It was definitely out of character, whatever he was doing, and strange beyond compare.

Awakening from her thoughts, scarlet eyes met teal ones that were staring at her questioningly. Growing defensive as the man's gaze pierced her, she swiftly ruffled his hair harshly, leaning back to state,

"Monti prolu katana?" Grimmjaw just shrugged it off as he went back to his foul mood, not bothering to think about the girl's actions.

"Yay! Boss man brought home a lady friend." Looking up from the lesson, teal eyes came to rest upon the lean figure of D-Roy as he propped against the door frame, the others right behind him. "Why didn't you tell us you knew chicks? Coulda hooked us up." He snickered.

"Ya want her, ya can have her." The Sexta growled, aggravated with the whole situation.

"Really?! Whhoooppeeee~" the energetic fraccion rejoiced, leaping over to where the redhead sat. The woman just stared at him wide-eyed in surprise, unable to understand what was going on. "You're a real cutie up close." The man cooed as he leaned in to look the woman right in the face, the female consequentially trying to lean back, uncomfortable with the man's close proximity.

"So, this is the woman Aizen-sama entrusted into your care." Shawlong mused, watching the figure with rapt interest.

"No way! Ya mean she's going ta be one of Grimmjaw's fraccions, like us?" D-Roy asked excitedly.

"More or less, yes" Ilfort mulled. To this, D-Roy let out a cheer, his face growing a big cheesy grin as he wrapped his arms around the redhead in an over-excited hug. The woman's entire body stiffened at the embrace, utterly stunned at the small arrancar's act. However, after a minute or two, she relaxed a little into the man's grip, patting the man's head awkwardly as she gave an uncomfortable smile, unsure of what to do.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my dear. I am called Shawlong Qufang." the lankiest of Grimmjaw's fraccions stated as he took the woman's gloved hand in his, laying a gentle kiss on upon it. The woman gave a genuine smile to this. It appeared she was more accustomed to this form of greeting then the one given by young D-Roy.

"Bally meu," she stated with a nod of her head to the raven-haired gentleman.

"Does this young beauty have a name?" Shawlong turned to inquire of Grimmjaw, who stared out the window in boredom. Grimmjaw watched them out of the corner of his eye, not even bothering to turn and face his fraccions. He just snarled the answer.

"If she does, she ain't giving it."

"Yami was right. She is a Misfit." D-Roy stated, finally releasing the woman from his eternal hug. Turning to face Grimmjaw, the redhead pointed to the five newcomers, asking, "Maeti peru deeshi cleetay?" Assuming she was asking who they were, the Sexta turned around to fully face the redhead, sighing at the thought that she wouldn't understand him anyway.

"These are my fraccions. They serve me." The girl stared quizzically. "Fraccions. Fraccions," he stated again, pointing to the five men, drawing the words out as he did. Doing the same as the Sixth, the girl turned to point at the men, repeating the words.

"Ffrracionzz, fraccions?"

"Yes, that's it." D-Roy cheered eagerly. The woman smiled, turning to point at her teal haired teacher.

"Fraccions." To this, the Sexta just groaned, slapping his hand to his face.

"No! No! No! Espada! Essppaaddaa!" The girl just gave a quizzical look, the smile dropping from her face. "Jeez, it's been like this all day!"

"Don't worry. I'm sure it will get easier." Ilfort comforted optimistically.

"Anyway, we brought you lunch." D-Roy cheered, pulling out two trays. "We didn't see ya in the mess hall and Gin-sama said ya had been working in the library with a friend all day. So we brought ya both some grub." Looking at the other men, Grimmjaw noticed that they, too, were carrying trays. Pulling chairs up to the table, the fraccions sat down to join the two, setting their trays down eagerly. The Sexta grinned at the food that was set before him, the pain in his stomach reminding him just how hungry he was. His smile fell however when Ilfort placed a seventh tray in front of the redhead.

The woman swiftly threw her hands in the air in jubilation as she stared at the meal placed before her, salivating at the thought of nourishment. Her hands, just as rapidly, shot down to sink her talons into the succulent meat, only coming to strike the table as the Sixth pulled the tray out of her grasp. In confusion, the redhead stared at where the platter had been. Looking around curiously, the woman searched for the missing meat, inspecting everyone's trays to see if one of theirs were her own. Despairingly, she scooted back to look under the table, as if it might have fallen through the wooden surface. When she again rose, she wore a rather befuddled expression.

It wasn't until Grimmjaw gave a snort of amusement that the woman looked up to realize her teacher was holding her tray over his head.

"Baty to!" she protested, leaning forward in an attempt to seize her tray, one that failed. Leaning back, the Sexta held the tray dish just out of reach, stubbornly refusing to let the woman have it back. Equally as stubborn, the redhead reached even farther out, hunger as her motive, height as her means. This continued until the woman was practically hovering over the teal-haired man as he held onto the table with one hand for support. Stretching as far out as his reach would allow, Grimmjaw remained horizontally in mid-air, arm extended as it shook with the effort of maintaining the tray's contents. The redhead reached, all for naught as the dish remained but inches from her grasp. Still though, with one knee resting betweens the Sixth's legs on the edge of his seat and an arm braced upon the chair's back, the girl refused to admit defeat as she attempted to stretch her lithe body even farther.

D-Roy watched in amusement, but more in wonder, the struggles between the two as they fought for the food.

"Wow, I didn't know the boss was into this kinda stuff," he snickered. But as Grimmjaw went to bark an angry retort, the girl's fingers fumbled at the tray, setting him off balance.

"Take the tray. Take the tray!" he ordered as his chair began to wobble. Hastily seizing the platter, Shawlong alleviated his leader of it with one hand, the other still picking at his rice with his chopsticks. Since the tray was removed from the man's grasp, the redhead saw no more reason to reach over the strong male, thus she leaned into her own seat poutily, allowing the man to regain his balance.

"What the f*** is yar problem!?" the disgruntled Sexta barked as he pulled himself upright.

"You took her food." D-Roy stated in the woman's defense.

"I didn't ask ya!" The young lass just sneered at him, a slinky grin growing about her visage as an idea popped into her head. Quick as a whip, the redhead grabbed the man's tray that still remained in front of him, pulling it out of his reach as she began to stuff her face.

"Hey! Give that back. Why ya little-" The game began anew, only this time in the opposite direction with the young "Misfit" eating as much as she could as the Sexta fought for his meal. Unfortunately the strategy didn't work as well in reverse. The fact that Grimmjaw had five inches on the woman helped him seize the tray. As he pulled it back, the redhead grabbed what she could of the food and hoarded it as if it were gold.

"Why ya not letting her eat, boss?" D-Roy asked, sympathetic for the woman.

"Because!" the aggravated Sixth huffed, "Let's see if food motivates her. The faster I can teach her this shit, the faster I can get rid of her!"

"But why would you want to get rid of her? She's so pretty," he cooed as he gave the woman a charmed smile, causing her to look at him in slight surprise.

"Ya're just thrilled to be seeing any woman, no matter what a bitch she is. I ain't as desperate as ya." Grimmjaw snorted, "Besides, women are useless." He slapped the woman's hand away as she reached to steal some more of his food. She gave a little whine then, grabbing the Sexta's arm, started gnawing at it. "See what I mean," he stated irritably.

"She ain't that bad." Ilfort mused.

"I concur. She might be more tolerable if you made an effort to get along with her." Shawlong suggested as he ate, respect still the predominant emotion filling his tone. "Try and see it from her point of view. Someone tried to kill her. Next thing she knows, she wakes up in some strange place, surrounded by strange people, all of whom keep trying to force her to do things or drag her around everywhere. She's probably confused, lonely, and frightened." All eyes turned to the redhead, watching as she continued to gnaw at Grimmjaw's arm hungrily.

"Well… I don't know about frightened, but she's definitely hungry," Ilfort chuckled, taking a sip of his drink, "and fearless," the blond quickly added.

"Either that or she's just plain stupid." Edorad, the largest of the group, added with a boisterous laugh.

"Easy for ya all to say. She ain't trying to eat yar arm off," the Sixth growled.

"We didn't take her food." D-Roy pointed out.

"Why the hell are ya all on her side!?" The Espada argued irritably.

"Well, it's only fair. I mean, it's not like she can verbally defend herself." Ilfort concluded, the others nodding in agreement.

"Some fraccions ya are." He snorted sarcastically, turning to the girl. Holding out a bowl of rice for the woman to see, he pointed at it, whistling to get her attention. "Rice," he stated, motioning for her to repeat what he said.

"Rice?" she questioned, not sure what he meant. Nodding, Grimmjaw set the bowl down, picking up a plate of meat.

"Meat," he stated.

"Meat." The woman repeated, beginning to understand the direction this was going in. Taking the glass D-Roy offered him, the Sexta pointed it at his student.

"Dri- Hey, wait a minute! What the hell is this!?" turning to D-Roy, he scowled questioningly at his fraccion, expression demanding an answer.

"Come on. It's just sake." D-Roy smiled innocently.

"What, you trying to get her drunk or something?" The teal haired teacher grunted disgustedly.

"One drink ain't going ta get her drunk. Just a little tipsy is all," he concluded. Grimmjaw just snorted unamusedly at the man's plan.

Taking advantage of the man's distraction, the woman swiftly snatched up the glass, taking a sip before the others could offer up a rebuttal. Her eyes grew wide, faltering for a moment before a huge grin spread across her face.

"Shinta!" she cheered, downing what remained of the drink in one gulp. Smiling pleasantly, she gave the Sixth a gratifying look before resting the glass on the table. The men just stared, mouths slightly agape in astonishment as red orbs stared back. "Batshu mota mi shita cota leen," she stated coolly, a slick grin growing about her features.

"Misfit?! More like demon! Nothing phases this chick. We found her half-dead, she has no clue where she is, doesn't speak our language, totally slaughtered a man, fights with me, and now she downs a whole sake like it's nothing! What the f*** is she!?!" Grimmjaw blurted out aggravatedly. He was sick of the mystery.

"And to top it all off, she has no retsu," D-Roy stated, more to himself, as if he was deep in thought. Blinking in confusion, the Sixth turned to the usually goofy arrancar, a questioning expression on his face. "Don't tell me you didn't notice," he stated in surprise.

"You'll find Grimmjaw-sama has an uncanny knack for totally disregarding the painfully obvious," Ilfort stated pityingly.

"Ggrrr- shud up!!" the Espada snapped defensively. He then glared at the girl for a moment before shutting his eyes and concentrating. Remaining in silence for several minutes, Grimmjaw searched the room for the girl's retsu, but all he could find was his own and those of his five fraccions.

"What the … That's impossible!" he yelled in a start, jumping to his feet and knocking his chair back, his eyes shooting open to stare at the girl as if to see if she was really in the room. But there she sat, eyes wide at the man's sudden outburst, leaning back slightly as if he were to jump at her.

"You've been with her for, what, a week now? And you seriously had no idea until now that she had no retsu?" Edorad pondered as if questioning their leader's perceptive abilities. "That's one of the reasons Aizen-sama is so interested in her."

"It… can't be… Even humans have at least a sliver of retsu. But she… she's got nothing…" he worded in breathless astonishment.

This just defied all logic. Everything had retsu: spirits, soul reapers, hollows, arrancars, humans, vizards. Aizen believed this woman might be more powerful than the Espadas. How could she have no retsu? The only things without spirit pressure… were dead corpses, after the soul had departed, leaving just the dead rotting flesh, the empty husk that was left after the vessel had become too worn and damaged to carry the soul. But she couldn't be a walking, breathing, speaking corpse, could she?

All the possibilities flashed through the Sexta's mind in one-hundredth of a second, finding his logic incapable of wrapping around any of the theories he ascertained. It just went against every rule of common sense. And no one person could mask their retsu so perfectly for so long without a single cheat being detected.

"How can this be?" he turned to ask Shawlong, the wisest of his fraccions. But the raven-haired arrancar just looked at the table, somewhat despairingly.

"In all honesty, I do not know." His voice was on the verge of a mumble, the wound to his pride clearly portrayed in it.

"I think she's our warrior goddess, sent to carry us through in the battles to come." D-Roy chirped, "It really seems to fit if you think about it."

"I don't know. Are you really telling me this little thing is what's going to help us win the war?" Edorad questioned disbelievingly.

"You've seen her fight. What's it like?" Ilfort asked, referencing to the rumors of what had happened at the Espadas' meeting.

"I don't know… It was like nothing I've ever seen…" Grimmjaw furrowed his brows in puzzlement, beginning to get lost in thought.

"Well, in that case," D-Roy stated, standing up from his seat next to the redhead, "I surrender!", throwing himself on the surprised young beauty. Hugging the woman emphatically, his thin lips grew into a heaven-sent smile, nuzzling his head into her shoulder. The woman was surprised at first, understandably, but soon she just shook her head and gave the over-enthusiastic arrancar a light hug.

"So, what you going to do with her?" Edorad questioned, his lazy tone not hiding his curiosity. The Sexta Espada just rolled his eyes at the question.

"What can I do? I just got ta take care of her, teach her as much of our language as I can, and dump her first chance I get," he snorted, his emphasis on the last part making it clear she was nothing more than a burden to him.

"Oh, come on, can't we keep her?" D-Roy whined like a little boy that had just brought a puppy home. Sticking his lower lip out as he begged, he did his best to plead with the Espada, his eyes all big and shiny as he lowered himself to begging, something he had no quarrel with doing.

"No! This little bitch is trouble enough. I'm not going to be responsible for her if I don't have to be," Grimmjaw snorted, giving his fraccion a stern glare that clearly said no.

"Oh, please. I'll take care of her. I promise I will. I'll feed her and train her and take care of her and keep her out of trouble. I promise I will. Oh please, oh please, oh plleeaaasssseeee," D-Roy beseeched childishly.

"Ya can barely take care of yar self, let alone her," The Sixth snorted irritably. "Besides, even if it's ya taking care of her, I still have to deal with her!"

"He argues a valid point," Shawlong observed. The overzealous arrancar just pushed his lower lip out in a pout, making the woman chuckle at his childlike behavior as she patted him on the head, or at least on the conch shell-like mask that covered his head. Grimmjaw just shook his head at the two of them, finding the pair ridiculous and one big pain in the rear.

"Rice?" Looking up from his thoughts, Grimmjaw found the young redhead was watching him with a blank expression, hand extended towards his as she kept the other around D-Roy.

"What ya say?" the Sixth asked in slight disbelief, though it was very little.

"Rice." She stated again, this time a little more sure of herself. Grimmjaw was the only one of the six men in the room that didn't produce a smile for the woman's success.

"Yay! She got it." D-Roy cheered.

"I'm surprised she was able to remember it with all this distraction," Shawlong complimented.

"Hmmph," the Espada snorted, "Maybe she ain't completely hopeless."

_Yay! She got to eat. Eventually. D-Roy is quite smitten with her, isn't he? XD He didn't last long in the series, but I always pictured him as an immature character. Sorry this chapter is shorter than usual. The next chapter should be longer. Don't have much to say today. Please read and review._


	4. A Day In The Life

**Author: **GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating:** M for language and later chapters.

**Warning:** Nothing much in this chapter. I don't think Grimmy even uses the f-word that much in this chapter. Yay, he's improving. XD

_This ought to be fun. She's been awake here for about a month, and is just starting to get used to her surroundings, sorta. I know things are kinda slow right now in the story, but they will pick up as the story goes on. I promise. Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I was on vacation and discovered that where I was going had no internet. So I actually had this done on time, it just took a wile to get out._

**Disclaimer: **I no own Bleach. But Nnoitra's still mine. X3

**Beauty From Pain**

Chapter 4. Day in the Life

It had been a bit over a week since the Sexta Espada had, albeit begrudgingly, begun the woman's lessons and so far they had managed to get her to recognize a few things commonly found in Los Noches. She could now name foods habitually found on the menu of the arrancars' mess hall, identify furniture, and could even ask direction to her room, the mess hall, and the library, those being her most frequent places to visit. The goal for this week seemed to be numbers and colors, though she couldn't be sure.

The redhead sat in the window sill of her room, staring out at the endless desert that seemed to engulf Los Noches. A delicate sigh escaped the woman's rosy lips as she closed her eyes to the golden light that streamed down upon her. There she sat, letting the warm sun tan her skin as she bathed in the fresh air that wafted through the open windows, pondering her position and the circumstances that had led to it.

These people did not seem to present any threat to her, but all the same, what was she to do? There was no way she could trust them in her present predicament and at the same time she could not let on to this. It would be best to try and act friendly with them, yet she would not get too close to any of them. She could not stay, but where else could she go? She could seek her other, but where to begin? Would she even want to see her after what had happened. It was so long ago. Though she denied it, she also feared dragging up feelings that had remained buried for so long, scars so deep, they could not help but bleed at the slightest contact.

Maybe it was time to move on, flip the page, begin a new life. Perhaps if she could leave the demons of the past where they belong, she might finally find happiness. But how could she do this without first making sure her other was in safety's keeping. She had not seen her since that fateful day and had no idea what had been the consequence of the separation.

Chuckling to herself, the woman mused over how strange it was to think of the other as a separate person. Her heart grew heavy and cold, sinking deep into her chest at the memories and thoughts of better times, reminding her just how alone she was here. No one even knew her name, not that it mattered. She wasn't even sure if it was her name anymore. Opening her eyes, she watched the white sand as it was blown by the will of the wind, comparing herself with the small grains, swept away by a force so much stronger than her. Hugging her legs tight to her, she tried to offer herself comforting thoughts, only for none to come to mind.

Would she ever get used to this place? Would these people accept her? Would she ever escape the past? So many questions came to flood her mind, consuming her consciousness in confusion as she fought them off as best she could, doubt still egging at her psyche. Shaking her head, the youth refused to let herself get bogged down in the depressing side of her situation. There was always a bright side to everything and in this circumstance, it seemed to take the form of two males, Briden and Pont. The silver haired fox and the strong brunette seemed to always offer her pleasant company and lifted her spirits.

The dark skinned one with the weird glasses and the light skinned one with the raven hair and lack of all emotion only ticked her off. Something inside her was screaming for her not to trust them. It just wasn't a good feel that she got from them, whereas the blue haired one just pissed her off. He was arrogant, hotheaded, reckless, impulsive, and overall about as tolerable as broken glass in one's bed. Maybe if he weren't so egotistical, he would actually be endurable. She didn't know what to make of her other captors, seeing as she never saw much of them.

Leaning her head back against the wooden frame, she allowed her thoughts to slip away and dance between the present and the past, intermingling the two to create fanciful dreams. As all window sills must, this one provided all the comforts of dreams, allowing the woman to drift into sleep as if to a lullaby she had heard many times before.

It was several hours until the redhead awoke with a pleasant yawn, stretching her long limbs. Looking around, she wondered to herself what time it was. Besides her lessons, there was never very much to do here. Most of her day was spent sleeping or wandering the vast empty labyrinth of halls that formed this prison.

Looking over to the coffee table about three feet away, the woman notices a tray of food that had been brought form the mess hall. Smiling, she thought back to the young arrancar that had been bringing similar meals to her for the last couple of days. Gilg would always come in with that same cheesy grin on his face, holding two platters as he ushered some greeting in his usual chipper tone.

She welcomed his company; she really did. He was sweet. Odd, but sweet all the same. The small man always offered her companionship when she felt alone. She loved to hear him talk as they passed away hours, him babbling about things she couldn't understand, but the sheer excitement and ardor he conveyed kept her hanging on every word with rapt attention. He always left her with a smile, easing her loneliness, if only a little.

The redhead sighed, wishing he had woken her up, but at the same time appreciating that he had not. Moving to sit on the couch, she sat so that she could still watch the desert's changing shape as it was molded by the winds. Eating contentedly of the meat the man had brought her, she took satisfaction in the meal as she listened to the stillness of this strange land that encompassed her. It wasn't exactly her ideal setting, but she had grown accustomed to it and its inhabitants, though there were still a few whom she held quarrel with.

This she just shrugged off, figuring that would be the case no matter where she was. Finishing off her meal, the woman stretched out across the couch, as boredom came to consume her mind. Musing over various random objects that caught her attention, the woman passed the time slowly as she lingered in a half-wakened state till the click of a door woke her from her thought.

Sitting up, she was met by the scowling face of her teacher. Staring quizzically, she tried to remember what he had taught her.

"Machi Cona? What want you?" the man just snorted, unimpressed with her poor grammatics. Walking in, his form loomed over her as he stared down at her begrudgingly.

"Nice try, but ya're off." Sighing, he moved over to lean on the couch. "Aizen is having a meeting. He wants me ta bring ya along," he almost groaned, though with his annoyed tone it came across as more of an order. The woman just stared at him questioningly, waiting for him to explain in a way that made sense to her. Rolling his eyes, the Sexta just grabbed the redhead's strong arm, pulling her up off the couch by it. Stumbling to her feet, she stared up at the man, scarlet orbs inquiring and unsure.

"Qu detee?!" the woman questioned, jerking her arm from his grasp. Growling, the Sixth just turned, motioning for her to follow him as he went to walk out the door. Snorting at his presumptuous manner, Misfit crossed her arms before pursuing the teal haired man resentfully, making no effort to match the fast pace the man set. Trailing the Espada step for step, she acted nonchalant while tagging along behind the man, making sure to act particularly inattentive whenever he glanced over his shoulder to make sure she was still there. Succeeding in pissing off the strong male, she smiled to herself, humming slightly as a sudden tune popped into her head.

Singing the words to herself softly, she incorporated a yielding bounce to her stride, rocking back and forth to the cheerful tune that passed through her supple lips. Turning to face the woman, Grimmjaw stared with a slight awe as she sung her sweet melody as gently as a summer breeze blows a cordial maiden's hair. Failing to notice the conclusion of the man's forward movement, the woman continued her advancing stride, though there still remained many steps yet to be taken before she reached the gawking man. The Espada's gaze softened, though ever so vaguely; it was now interwoven with a faint interest, as if inquisitive. Music had its ways of soothing the savage breast.

"I see you got your little lost puppy following ya." A deep voice boomed, succeeded by a slinky, more conniving one.

"My, my, where have you been keeping her all this time, Grimm-kitty?" Turning around, the woman came to face the two men that had just come from one of the many adjoining corridors.

"Hallo." She stated, remembering the greeting the Sixth had taught her as she smiled welcomingly.

"Well, dear me. You've taught her some tricks." Nnoitra cooed sarcastically while Yami chuckled in amusement.

"What the hell do ya two want?" Grimmjaw snarled in a way that showed he wasn't the least bit interested in the answer, turning around to face them with an aggravated glare.

"We were just on our way to the meeting when we spotted Misfit here." Yami confessed, a grin growing across his visage as he watched the smiling redhead.

"Yeah," Nnoitra sneered, "we just came to check on the little lass, make sure you weren't mistreating your position." Taking a step forward, the lanky Espada leaned over, running his hands along the woman's ribcage, making a point of dragging them over her breast. "Well she's nowhere near as skinny as she was when we first met. You seem to be feeding her well." The redhead blushed as the man continued to drag his hands over her, attempting to push him away only to fail.

"Don't touch her," Grimmjaw stated half-heartedly, not really caring. Looking up at the teal haired man, the Fifth snickered in amusement.

"Aawww, come on, I ain't doing nothing you yourself haven't done." A perverse sneer became painted on his face as he continued his work, Yami just rolling his eyes at the Fifth's perverted ways.

"Tily!" the woman shouted, her fist finding its way to Nnoitra's stomach, with a substantial amount of force to back it up. As the wounded man staggered back, the Sixth smirked at what had justly befallen the antagonist.  
"I warned ya," he mocked as the other attempted to regain his breath. "Besides, ya really think I'm that desperate ta try something with her?"

"Aw," Nnoitra coughed, "Aizen musta had the poor kitty neutered before letting him take care of his little pet." The anger festered inside of Grimmjaw as the other Espadas snickered.

"What the f*** did ya say!?!" he barked, taking a step forward, prepared to fight. But before he could, a trim hand reached out to fist his jacket, pulling him forward as his attacker got right up in his face.

"Tally mo chinta lezu beling tona!!" the redhead snapped, scarlet eyes piercing him as she glared at him loathingly. Slightly taken aback, the Sixth just stared, expression that of bewilderment.

"Well I guess we know who's dominant in this relationship," Yami teased, causing the Sexta to regain his composure.

"What the hell is yar problem?" he growled, slapping the woman's hand away. She scowled back, punching him in the arm.

"De mo taly conra benvi meer!" she snapped, pointing to the black haired Espada. Looking from the redhead to the Fifth, Grimmjaw just furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Wha?"

"Why is it whene'er I find ya two together, ya alwayz fightin'?" Gin mused as he walked out from around the corner, the usual Cheesire grin on his knowing face. Walking over, he ruffled up the woman's hair, a genuine smile spreading across her face at the silver haired fox's touch.

"I trust no onez givin' our li'l desert rose any trouble, are they?" he questioned in his usual wily tone, turning to smile charmingly at the three males. No answer. "I'll take dat as a maybe," he finally stated after a long moment of silence. "Come along, my dear." As the ex-shinigami sauntered off, the young vixen followed behind, matching him step for step. Huffing irritably, the Sixth trailed after them, the Tenth and Fifth not far behind. Turning to look up at the always smiling figure, the woman grinned merrily, trying out a new trick.

"You are how?" leaning his head to face her, Gins smile fell slightly in surprise, only for it to return twice as big.

"My, my, ya learn quickly. Wha a clever li'l desert rose. I'm just fine," he replied pleasantly, giving her a thumbs up to convey the message. Grinning joyously, the redhead grew a certain skip to her step, proud of her accomplishment.

Craning his neck to face the Sexta, Gin retained his usual knowing grin. Never stopping in his forward movement, the silver fox taunted the Sexta.

"Aizen will be pleazed, Gwimm-kitty."

"Like I give a f***," He stated obstenately, quickly adding, "And don't call me that!"

"Why?" Nnoitra snickered, "It really seems to fit ya." Yami chuckled in agreement.

"Shut up, spider boy!" Grimmjaw barked, making reference to the Fifth's release form. The lanky man just scowled, a deep snarl blossoming from the back of his throat as he clenched his teeth at the Sixth's comment. Turning around, the Sexta continued to follow the redhead and Gin down the hallway.

Everyone knew that none of the Espadas really got along, but Grimmjaw and Nnoitra were a special case. The only Espada Grimmjaw couldn't stand more than the tall black haired arrancar, was Ulquiorra. Nnoitra and Grimmjaw just seemed to rub each other the wrong way. And Misfit couldn't decide which of the two to side with.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Walking into the dimly lit room, Grimmjaw's eyes immediately came to meet the empty gaze of one of his most hated enemies, Ulquiorra, not that he really got along with any of the other Espadas. Glowering at the Cuarto Espada, he stomped over to his seat, dragging the woman along behind him. Halibel was already there, sitting in her seat with her arms crossed as she watched the Sexta's treatment of their young guest. It was no secret that the Third was concerned about the teal haired man's conduct toward the woman. Though she no longer needed the bandages, the redhead still had not regained all her strength and the Sexta had a way of being, how shall we say, rough.

Being the only female Espada, Halibel had taken it upon herself to see that all the female arrancars were taken care of and not mistreated by the males, not even the Espadas. This newcomer, though believed not to be an arrancar, was no exception. She had hoped to take the girl under her wing, nurturing her and helping her to grow accustomed to the arrancars' way of life, but having the Misfit put in the hands and care of Grimmjaw Jaggerjack was the worst possible situation. Well, next to Nnoitra anyway who was just too sexist and perverted for his own good. But still, the Sexta Espada was not much better.

She had tried to negotiate with Aizen-sama to get the girl placed in her charge, but to no avail. Their leader would not budge in his decision. He had just told her not to worry about it or to question his reasoning. She did not question his motives so much as distrust them, but she let it go. Resorting to simply sitting back and watching, she would intervene in the Sexta's actions should she deem it necessary. There had been a time or two when she had been ready to take action, but the woman always proved to have the man well in hand. Yet still, she was ready; should the redhead ever need help, she'd be there.

The blond's thoughts were interrupted as Nnoitra pulled his chair back with a harsh grating sound, falling back into it with a peeved expression. Glancing over at the gangly man, she offered up no expression as she returned her gaze to the redhead that now stood by the sitting Sexta's side. Misfit was looking around curiously as her shining scarlet eyes took in all that was to be seen. Halibel smiled at the woman's eagerness and enthusiasm, remember how nervous her fraccions had been the first time she brought them to an Espada meeting. She was glad this girl was not anxious and stressed, all things considered.

Aside from Halibel, Nnoitra, Ulquiorra, Grimmjaw, and Yami, Stark was also there as well as Arroniro. Stark gave the excited redhead a weary smile, waving tiredly as she smiled back at him. Her caretaker just snorted, not understanding why these people were so interested in her.

As the rest of the Espadas filed in, the woman took the initiative to wave to every single one of them. Szayel eyed the woman suspiciously as he took his seat. Remembering what had happened at the last meeting she had been at, who could blame him. As it was, Tozen was the last to show, keeping in mind that Aizen was probably lingering in the room next door to enter after everyone else had arrived. Gliding into the room, the blind man took his place to the left of Gin, waiting patiently for their leader's entrance. He didn't have to wait long.

As the large doors at the top of the stairs opened, light flooded the dark room, Aizen being the only obstacle in the light's path. The woman watched silently as the man ghosted down the steps, gliding over to sit in his chair at the head of the table. The whole show was a bit over dramatic.

As the meeting began, it was just Aizen talking about a bunch of things that young Misfit couldn't understand. First it was about the Espadas, then he went over his plans for invading the Soul Society for the millionth time, and he went on to talk about a bunch of random stuff that no one cared about. The redhead was beginning to think he just liked to hear himself talk. So after about an hour passed by, she found herself getting bored.

Glancing around at the others, she noticed they, too, were bored out of their wits, especially Grimmjaw and Nnoitra, who looked like their brains would rot and leak out their ears if they had to listen to one more minute of this. Sighing, Misfit leaned over, sitting on the cold linoleum floor as she propped herself against the base of Grimmjaw's chair. Stark and Gin were the only ones to notice, but resorted to saying nothing as Aizen continued his, quote, "motivational" speech.

Bored stiff, she sat there, looking at everyone's shoes from under the table. If this was what the teal haired man had to go through on a regular basis, it was no wonder he was grumpy all the time. Giving a low whine, the woman started playing with her bare feet, desperate for something to do. All she wanted was to be back in her room taking a nap or talking to Machi Cona's fraccions. Anything would be better than this. Leaning her head against whatever was at its level, the redhead attempted to go to sleep.

It was several minutes before the Sexta even noticed the change in the redhead's position. Turning around, teal eyes searched for the girl, eyebrows furrowing when they were unable to find her. Something brushed against his leg, causing him to look down suddenly. His eyes widened in slight surprise, lips parted in confusion. The redhead was sitting to his left, her right shoulder braced up against his chair, head laying against his thigh as she breathed softly. Her warm breath was blowing against his leg, face tranquil and placid as she slept.

Though he didn't think of it at the moment, Grimmjaw had never seen her this peaceful before. Letting out a small sleepy moan, the redhead nuzzled into the Sixth's leg, getting comfy before continuing her calm slumber. The man stiffened at the feel of the woman's gloved hand resting on his thigh, but quickly shook it off as he nudged the woman awake. Stirring slightly, the redhead looked up at him tiredly before laying her head back down and going back to sleep. This only proved to annoy the Sixth more than anything as he again attempted to wake the Misfit.

Halibel watched curiously as the Sexta fussed over something under the table. Noticing that their redhead guest was missing, her concern only grew as she studied Grimmjaw's strange actions attentively. It appeared she wasn't the only one to notice the Sixth's bizarre behavior. Raising an eyebrow, Nnoitra stared questioningly at the man as he continued the peculiar act.

"What is he doing?" Halibel whispered when she noticed that the Fifth was staring as well.

"Near as I can tell he's got one." The man mused, snickering as the female Espada rolled her eyes.

"You are such a perv."

Finally, Grimmjaw had succeeded in waking the woman up, pulling her to her feet just in time to catch Aizen's stare.

"Is there a problem, Sexta?" he questioned unamusedly. He was not contented at having his speech interrupted.

"No, there ain't no problem," he stated, kicking the woman in an attempt to get her attention.

"Good. Then as I was saying, the Soul Society sent only one man here in an attempt to obtain information. They probably believed that by sending one man in with low retsu, he would be harder to notice among all the arrancars with high retsu. And they were right. All of our retsu managed to block his out. That is why we did not know he was here till Szayel saw him." The Octavo grumbled something as he slouched into his seat. "That is why security around here is going to be doubled. I want you all on alert. Also, soon I will be sending Cuarta and Decimo into the world of the living to look into a matter involving a substitute shinigami who may or may not be of some concern to us." As Aizen continued his lecture, Grimmjaw's eyes became glazed over as he waited for the meeting to end. And it did, two hours later. Unfortunately for him, the ex-shinigami asked him to stay after, wanting a report on Misfit's progress.

"She's doing damn fine," the Sexta grumbled, aggravated at the fact he was being put out.

"Good. Very good. And how far is fine?" Aizen inquired, knowing that his interrogation was only serving to aggravate the Sixth further and found this reality to his amusement.

"I don't know! She knows foods and furniture. We're working on colors and numbers and some other stuff," he retorted irritably, glancing over at the redhead as she watched them.

"Would not her first learning names be a more suitable avenue?" The Sexta just let out a low growl, closing his eyes as his brows drew together in frustration.

"I already tried that. She's apparently too dumb to get it."

"Maybe they did not have names where she came from," the brunette pondered, "What was it Yami called her? Misfit? Then that shall be her name." Grimmjaw rolled his eyes as Aizen turned to face the woman. "How does that sound?" he asked cheerfully, taking her hand in his. "You have a name now. You shall be called Misfit." The woman gave a slight blush as the brunette leaned in to smile at her.

The ex-shinigami may not have noticed, but Grimmjaw sure did. Although the tinge of pink was barley noticeable, the teal haired man had no trouble spotting the slight discoloration on the woman's tanned cheeks. Snorting sarcastically, the Sixth again rolled his eyes, grabbing the girls arm as he went to lead her away.

"Oh, and Grimmjaw…" Stopping at the door, the Espada turned to face his leader, an unpleasant look etched into his visage. "Treat her well. We would not want anything happening to her, would we?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever ya say." Turning back around, the Sexta disappeared around the corner, Misfit close behind him.

Windows to their left, doors to their right, one of the long empty hallways that made up Los Noches stretched before them. The ceiling reached to such height that it disappeared into shadows before you could chance a glance at it. The walls and the floor were so white they were blinding as the light streamed in through the windows. There was nothing forward and nothing back, save windows and doors. The vast emptiness appeared to go on forever and the stillness seemed to stifle and oppress the two wanderers.

Walking alongside the teal haired man, the woman could not help but sneak a glance in his direction. She had been living in Waco Mundo long before Aizen and his cronies. She had been completely indifferent when they had first moved here. As long as they didn't bother her, she didn't care. Never had she investigated them or attempted to see who they were. The redhead had pretty much steered clear of them, not being in any way curious about them, but now she found herself thrown headlong into their world. Oh, the irony of it all.

Oh well, her life had been seeming rather boring, the same thing on a reoccurring basic. It can get rather lonely living out in that vast desert all by yourself, day after day. Life had become repetitive and monotonous.

This was her chance for adventure, to spice up her life, meet new people. And had she ever! A weird pink-haired man, a charming smiling fox-like man, an annoying gay emo thing, and this blue haired creature from hell. Oh, and a pervert who seemed to try and molest her every chance he got. Though then again, that wasn't a fair assumption, she thought, considering he had only done it once so far. But still, once was enough for her. This was going to be an interesting change. BAM

A shock of pain went through the lissom body as it was knocked back from the force of the blow. The redhead was stunned as she fell back onto her bottom, a small "umph" escaping her barely parted lips as she made contact with the floor.

"Oww," she stated softly, rubbing her head as the pain wore off to a dull ache. Staring in surprise, scarlet orbs looked up at the scowling man that stood before her.

"What the hell just happened!?" he snapped, a pinch of concern in his voice, though it was hardly distinguishable. Looking at him perplexingly, she then turned to look at what had hit her. She had been attacked by a pillar. Gawking in slight surprise, she crooked her head to face the Espada, pointing at the white column sheepishly.

"Tauny ti luda me consu," she affirmed, rubbing the back of her neck, still embarrassed that she had walked into the thing. Chuckling to no one in particular, she pulled herself up and dusted her uniform off. The man, who wore a matching uniform just stared in confusion as the redhead continued to titter lightly to herself. Smiling at him nervously, a slight blush became apparent at the uncomfortable idea of him seeing her clumsiness. Looking away awkwardly, she covered half her face in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. It failed.

"Ya are the strangest chick I have ever met. Did ya seriously just walk into that pillar? It wasn't even moving!" Though the woman couldn't understand any of what the man said, she obtained the gist of it. Snapping her head back defensively, the redhead glared angrily before storming around the Sixth and stomping her way down the hall, the man's laughter following her all the way.

That jerk, what right did he have to laugh at her? That fool, she would kill him now for his insolence would it not upset his leader. Who did he think he was? Making fun of her, that son of a- he would pay. She despised jerks like that. People who couldn't let others live their mistakes down, who always had to remind others that they weren't perfect and yet refused to ever admit they themselves had flaws.

The man chased after her, still cackling as he came to her side.

"Ya should have seen the look on yar face. Ha!" he sneered, jabbing the redhead in her side.

"Nakky tana mo tela she me lor cana ba hunda!" the woman growled, turning to punch the man's arm.

Heading back to her room, she resigned to lay on her bed, festering over what had happened, refusing to let it go. As she sat, she heard a door slam, signaling that Machi Cona had made it back to his room. With a snort, the woman rolled over, refusing to even face his direction. He was such a jerk at times. She couldn't understand why Briden had assigned him to watch over her. Maybe he figured since they didn't get along, he wouldn't try anything. Who knew. Maybe it was that he wanted to punish the man or maybe he just honestly thought that this man made a great teacher. Either way, she didn't get it. Oh well, she would simply have to learn to tolerate him. She had met worse.

Pulling the sheets up around her, she snuggled into the bed. Maybe she should just try and make peace with the man. After all, she was going to be stuck with him for a while. It was worth a try. That was her last thought before she slowly drifted off to sleep.

_There you go. The next couple of chapters should be very fun. Unless your Ulquiorra. Heh heh. Please read and review, it would be much appreciated. Till next time._


	5. Sins Of The Mind Repented

**Author: **GrimmjawsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning:** The usual. Grimmy's bad language, Nnoitra's pervy jokes.

_This chapter was really fun for me to write, so I hope you guys enjoy reading it just as much as I did coming up with it. Misfit is a really fun character to work with and the more of their language she learns the more I can do with her. This chapter is probably the mark of the beginning of her growth in Waco Mundo. _

**Disclaimer: **If I own Bleach, someone please tell me, cause I sure don't know… though that would explain why Stark is asleep in my lap.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx  
We are the lucky ones,  
We shine like a thousand suns,  
When all of the colors run together,

I'll keep you company,  
In one glorious harmony,  
Waltzing with destiny forever,

Dance me into the night,  
Underneath the moon shining so bright.  
Turning me into the light

-Dark Waltz by Hayley Westenra. CD: Pure-  
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 5. Sins Of The Mind Repented

It is funny, I suppose, how you can be with someone for months, see them everyday, talk to them, eat with them, fight with them on occasions, know their name, know their voice, yet, never really know them, never really see them, as what they were, or who they are. It is considered to some a sin of the human mind that we assume so readily, to assure ourselves in our knowledge of things, as if by simply glancing upon it, we have taken in all that is to be known in its regard. We look out upon the world and yet we are blind to it in the most unarguable sense. We impair ourselves to except reality as much as an acrophobic bird impairs itself to flight; that is to say, we fear what we do not understand and therefore blatantly disregard it. But this fact is not constant and unalterable in it hold. It is, on occasion, that one may come to grips with this restraint they have placed upon themselves and seek to remove it. That is precisely what has come to play here within perhaps one of the most hardened and unyielding of minds that this plane of existence has ever seen. The transformation was really quite small in its beginning, but upon establishment, the seed of curiosity grew to take root deep within the recesses of his mind, expanding to take hold of and give birth to other ideas. But I am sure all this theological blither blather does not interest you, and you are sitting in your cushy seats wondering how must longer I am to waste your time with this nonsense. Well, be assured, this is far from over.

Grimmjaw did not know what to make of the scene that greeted him like a bucket of cold water in his face. Having finished the girl's lessons for that morning, he had grabbed a quick breakfast and was in the mood to fight. But then, when wasn't he? Heading down to the sparing room, he had hoped to find someone who would at least present a bit of a challenge to practice with. He was in no way prepared for what awaited him.

A sweaty, shirtless Yami stood, sizeable hands resting on his hips as he smirked down at the almost comical sight before him. A few other arrancars seemed to have meandered over and were watching with great amusement the slender form that they encircled. Like a crowd watches a circus performer with both awe and mirth, so too, did they gawk at the girl as she set to put forth a new level of ability. The metal glimmered and clanked as it was pulled effortlessly with her movements.

Her well-built abdominal muscles were revealed by the white uniform that Grimmjaw had given her so long ago, her muscles swelling as she fluently lifted the weight up and down, up and down, over and over. Red eyes fixed intently on her work, yet relaxed with a natural ease. The large circular weights were thick and black, each a bit larger than a scooter tire. There were eight on either side of her hand, and Grimmjaw speculated that they had to weigh anywhere from 600 to 800 pounds. A slight smirk of amusement pulled at her lips as some of her fans counted along with the curl of her arm,

"…297, 298, 299, 300!" they burst out into cheers as she continued, trying to appear bored with her work. Out of the corner of his eye, Yami noticed Grimmjaw staring at the strange sight, and turned to welcome him to the show.

"Oi, Grimmjaw! Checkout what the Misfit can do." Pointing a beefy finger at the girl, he offered up an almost mocking sneer. As is to be expected when your usual enemy has a large weapon in hand, it was with weary strides that the teal haired arrancar went to join the crowd of spectators. Head still lowered, the girl glanced up, sensing the newcomer. Upon recognizing him as her old rival, she haughtily allowed a toothy smirk to engrave itself within her features. The Sixth's annoyed expression was reward enough for her. Speeding up, she let a small chuckle escape her as the onlookers faltered to keep count.

"How long she been doing this?" he questioned of the other Espada, his gaze never leaving the red head.

"Bit over a half hour. I was in here benching, she poked her head in and saw me. Must have been wandering around or something. Anyway, she saw me and came right in, just sat down and watched me. But as soon as I put the weights down, she picked 'em up and just started lifting one-handed. Didn't have no trouble with it or nothing." Snorting, Grimmjaw turned to face the other as he made his conclusion.

"Y'a must be getting soft on us if this little whelp is able to out lift ya," casting a weary glance at said 'whelp', Yami took a precautious step backwards,

"I'd be careful what I said about her if I were you, especially while she's got those weights." The warning was made as the woman stepped forward, preparing to drop the substantially hefty weight on the unsuspecting Espada's foot.

"What is the ruckus about?" Monotone eyes of a dark green gazed disdainfully at the small crowd that surrounded the young female. His stoic face looked on unchanging as the lilting form of the Fourth graced them with his presence. Immediately, Misfit's arms drew back, beautiful hands clenching to form tight fists as she glared at the raven-haired Espada through slitted lids, a rich growl resounding from deep within her throat.

"What's your problem?" Yami growled, not bothering with the fact that Ulquiorra was of higher rank. Jade orbs turned to look lethargically at the Decima, looking almost innocent as they ignored the man's question.

"What is this woman doing here?" his tone never changed as he stared at the redhead. The woman's face just contorted into that of loathing, her distaste towards the Fourth clearly shown as she glared at him.

"She's got as much right to be here as any of us," Yami snorted, frowning as he turned to glower at the smaller Espada. All eyes were on them as the crowd waited with bated breath for the Fourth's answer. The indifferent arrancar just went to take stately and deliberate steps to close the distance between him and the female.

"This woman is our prisoner. She should not be permitted to use such equipment. I do not know how you would run things, but affording a prisoner such weapons and the chance to become stronger is not something I, or Aizen-sama, would deem suitable." Reaching out, the small male went to take away the weights that Misfit held, only to have her jerk them away defensibly. Sighing, he prepared to use power, stepping forward more demandingly, certain he was equipped to take the object by force.

However, he was interrupted as Grimmjaw stepped between the two, shielding the woman from the Cuarto Espada. Looking up at the taller male, Ulquiorra retained his apathetic manner, never turning his eyes from the piercing teal orbs that stared down at him.

"Move," he ordered, still maintaining his authoritative tone despite the substantial height difference between the two.

"No," Grimmjaw growled back, matching the Fourth's authoritative tone with his own stubborn insubordination. Glaring down into the green spheres, the Sexta refused to back down. _Why the hell am I defending her?!_ the Sixth thought angrily._ I should just let them both kill each other. Save me a whole bunch of trouble. _Despite his internal conflict, Grimmjaw refused to let it show as he stood defiantly in the higher rank's path.

As if reading his mind, the smaller Espada cocked his head to inquire of the other, "Why are you protecting this piece of trash?" The Sexta didn't even turn to look over his shoulder at the redhead in question. He just sneered, staring down the bridge of his nose at the Cuarto.

"Why does it matter?" Glancing over at the redhead, Ulquiorra never returned his gaze to Grimmjaw as he made his response.

"You've gotten quite attached to this woman, haven't you? How careless, being seduced by this trash."

"Why ya son of a-" Taking fistfuls of the other's white shirt, he sought to raise Ulquiorra off the ground as he let his temper get the best of him. "Like f*** I have!" Knowing that the Sexta Espada could not be coaxed to settle the matter peacefully, Ulquiorra decided to resolve the matter in a language that the defiant arrancar would understand. In one swift swoop, the fourth brought his fist down into the Sixth's face, knocking the man back and onto the ground.

Like a cobra striking at its prey, the seasoned fist shot forth, knuckles crashing into the delicate jaw, resulting in a reverberating crack. The pale form of the upper-ranked flew across the room, coming to tumble across the floor in a stunned silence.

All eyes were on the girl as she stood there, feet planted in front of Grimmjaw, arm still outstretched in the direction of Ulquiorra's landing. A fervent growl resounded as the left side of her face pulled into a distasteful sneer. Relaxing her form, she stood tall and threatening for a few moments, before surprising all by turning around and offering her hand for the Sexta to take.

None were more surprised than the Sixth himself. His teal eyes flashed with a mix of shock, taken aback befuddlement, and unrivaled prideful annoyance. Time became frozen in a heart beat. All stared at the hand, save Grimmjaw, whose eyes remained fixed upon the crimson gems that glistened mutely, masked in an aura that he found himself unable to read. Yami was dumfounded. These two had been enemyies since square one, yet now she had struck out at one of Aizen's favorites in defense of her arch nemesis. The enemy of her enemy is her friend, he mused, the humor of the situation being grasped by him. A coy smirk pulled at his lips.

"Oi, you gonna take it or sit there like some love-struck pansy all day?" Indignantly, Grimmjaw jerked his gaze from his defender to glare in annoyance at the arrancar who dared mock him. Ego once more coming to consume, he returned to glare heatedly at the girl who still offered her assistance. With a snarl, he slapped the hand away, pulling himself to his feet. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he sneered down at the girl, trying to regain some of his scuffed pride.

"What, you trying to make a fool of me?" Walking past the redhead, he sought to retreat to the sparing portion of the room.

The girl watching him over her shoulder, mind engulfed in a thickening density, repeating his words as if through pity,

"Fool." Her response echoed dully through the mostly empty room. Snapping his head around, Grimmjaw leered as she walked towards the exercise equipment where she tossed the weights she held to one of the arrancars standing by.

The man was helpless to bear the load. Falling back, he squirmed as the weight pinned him to the floor. It took three others to pull him loose as Misfit strung herself a new one at the bench. This time the weights were the thickness and bulk of a car tire, nine to each side. The steel bar holding them arched with the strain placed upon it.

"Hey, watcha doing?" a nameless arrancar questioned as she secured the black disks in place. Casting a glance to them, she seemed to have grasped what was being asked.

"Heat-up," she mumbled, pointing to the discarded weight that still remained on the floor. Yami's gaze flicked from the girl, to the weight, and back to the girl, his expression one of confusion.

"Heat-up? Y'a mean warm-up?" A dull nod of her head and she went to rest her back upon the chilled bench, arms reaching up to take hold of the curving bar. With a grunt, she began to push up on the weight, metal rattling as she sought to move what did not wish to be moved.

It was a struggle at first, lifting the bar up till her arms held no bend, but after the first two she began to gain speed. The act was much like riding a bicycle in the sense that, once learned, one could avoid the task for a large sum of years, but as soon as one sought to do once more, the familiarity was quick to return. Muscles bulging, sweat glistened thin across her skin, face twisted in determination, she moved with Herculean strength the immense load that was as heavy as she was attractive.

Needless to say, the show of strength left the arrancars feeling a little unnerved, realization dawning upon them at just how little they knew about the young Misfit.

Snorting in an attempt to cover his unease, Grimmjaw turned to stock away, ready to take his annoyance out on some poor, lower level arrancar or any one who happened to find themselves at the end of his sword. Catching the first opponent he could find, the Sixth began slashing away, never giving his opponent time to catch his breath, much less fight back.

He went through a number of rivals through the course of the day, not finding a single one to be even the slightest bit of a challenge. But no matter who he fought, he would always catch himself glancing back at the redhead as she worked with the various tools about the room. The Sexta found one thought to be plaguing his mind. Why did she do it? Why did she defend him? He knew the answer. She hated him. But as much as she detested him, she despised the Fourth even more. This had been a chance for her to finally nail that bastard and she had taken it. But for some reason, that just wasn't a good enough answer for him.

As he finished off his latest victim, he heard a clapping sound ringing out from behind him. Turning around, he came to face the Misfit as she clapped slowly, more sarcastically, but still respectfully. It had been hours since the fight with Ulquiorra and they were both drenched in sweat from their toils, their matching white uniforms coming across as a dingy grey from the perspiration that soaked them. Though the Cuarto had left peaceably when Gin had come and chased him off, the two who remained from the fight still seemed to have anger to work off.

"Huh, what do ya want?" the Espada snorted.

"Very good," the woman stated amusedly, "tallu de bana lezoi pwivo." Walking up to the man, who still retained his fighting stance, the woman leaned over him, using her legs to scoot his feet closer. Leaning her head over his shoulder, she reached around him to change the position of his hands on his sword. "Kalli quron tona de xix muntun," she explained as the man raised an eyebrow at her.

"What the hell are you doing?" Looking up at him, she seemed somewhat confused by the man's question although he was sure she got the general gist of it.

"Help," she replied, stunning the Sixth with her response. _I don't remember teaching her that. Where did she learn it? _Snorting, he rolled his shoulders, pushing the woman away as he moved to stand tall and erect. Sheathing his sword, the Sexta turned to face the woman, using his height in an attempt to assert himself as the alpha.

"Who the hell said I needed yar f***ing help?" Sighing, the woman just shook her head at the man's response, finding it typical of him and rather unnecessary. Turning, she just walked away, not bothering to lower herself to his level. Snorting, the man watched her as she left, glaring at the woman's back. "Damn straight bitch," he huffed arrogantly.

In all honesty, at the moment, Misfit felt pity more than anything for him. He would never improve if he wasn't willing to listen to others. His stance was all wrong. He held his sword too far out, his feet were too far apart. He was leaving himself wide open. Was he relying on his strength to save him? She had to admit, he was powerful, but he was just letting that power go to waste the way he just swung his sword about. He needed to hone his abilities, learn to channel his power so as to better cut his enemy. He had the strength and he had the vigor, but that's all he had. And she suspected his foolish pride would one day get him killed.

Grabbing a towel, she wiped off her face, leaving the towel on top of her head like a hood. She decided to sit down on one of the benches that lined the walls, leaning her head back as the towel cloaked her eyes from the view of others. However, this did not keep her from being able to watch the variety of arrancars that continued to use the training room. Nnoitra had come to join them along with his fraccion, Teslo. Yami was still there lifting his weights and other lower ranked arrancars that the redhead had seen around were also doing their own thing around various parts of the room.

The people around here were very strange, but then so was she. Misfit found them much to her liking as she watched them all in their quest to better themselves. They were an odd bunch, but they had come to grow on her with their strange habits and how they had welcomed her with open arms. Maybe a life here wouldn't be so bad. It certainly wouldn't be boring, of that she was sure.

"Oi, whacha doin' Misfit?" Yami hollered as she walked over to the slouching woman.

"Oh, Misfit's here?" Nnoitra cooed, growing one of his usual slinky grins as he turned from his work to gaze at the woman. The redhead had become accustomed to seeing these two seeing as they were the only other two Espadas that interacted with her. She still did not completely trust Mont. He did not annoy her as much as Machi Cona, but at least the teal haired brute kept his hands off her. The same could not be said for Mont.

Reluke was different, however Misfit rather enjoyed his company. He was kind and pleasant to talk to, despite the fact they couldn't understand each other. Also, he wasn't like the others. He seemed to except her just the way she was, and never pressured her to be anything but that. Of all the Espadas, he was probably the closest thing to a friend she had.

The truth was Yami had taken quite a liking to the young oddity. He didn't know why, but she amused him. Unlike any of the Espadas, she was fun to be around. Maybe it was that she wasn't as grumpy or irritable as the Espadas and didn't look down on everyone like Aizen and Ulquiorra did. He really didn't care either way. It didn't matter whether he did or didn't know why he liked her. Either way it was all the same, besides, he wasn't the type to question things. He just rolled with it.

"Come on, Nnoitra, leave the poor girl alone ya pervert," Sitting down next to the redhead, Yami snorted as the other Espada approached the two.

"Hello, Reluke, Mont." she stated, taking the towel off her head to nod to each man in turn.

"Aww, how cute," Nnoitra snickered, "She's given us nick names." To this, Yami gave a chuckle, amused at the woman's work. Smiling, the redhead nodded cordially.

"So Grimm-kitty teach ya anything new?" the lanky Espada asked, only to have the woman look questioningly at him.

"Grimmjaw," Yami stated, pointing to the Sixth as he continued to fight some lower ranked arrancar.

"Te, Machi Cona." She exclaimed, realizing who they were talking about.

"Yeah, Mochi Cuna. He taught ya anything new?" Nnoitra again inquired.

"Machi Cona," she corrected. "Lez see," she pondered, recollecting on what the Sexta had taught her. Looking at the Fifth's uniform, she pointed stating, "White." Looking around, she searched for another color, this being hard to find in Los Noches. Finally, she noticed Yami's eyebrows, "Orange." Pulling a large sum of her own hair over her shoulder, she looked down at it, stating proudly, "Red."

"Hmm, that's pretty good," Yami mused, ruffling the woman's hair as she smiled at his praise. "What else ya got?"

"Ten," she added, pointing to the number tattooed on Yami's shirtless shoulder.

"So not only does she know the numbers, she can read them. What a talented little Misfit." Grinning, Nnoitra held out his hand, waiting for the woman to high-five it. Instead the woman just stared at it quizzically. "You're supposed to hit it." He informed her, nodding towards his hand as he held it out in an insisting manner. The redhead looked at him as if he was insane, nonetheless, she did as he instructed. Reaching out, she did as she was instructed. Ever so gently, she punched the palm of his hand, still not sure what this was about.

"No, no, like this," he exclaimed. Taking her hand in his other, he molded it flat and slapped it against his open palm. The woman just raised a brow, finding it all quite strange.

"Ok," she stated, shrugging her shoulders. As the redhead continued to talk, laugh and pal around with the two Espada's, electric blue eyes watched in amusement. _She's definitely growing more comfortable with this place, _Grimmjaw noted as he observed the woman's friendship with the Decimo. _If I'm lucky, I can teach her all she needs to know to get by in the next month and get rid of her._ He mused over the idea of life without the young delinquent, how peaceful it would be. No more waking up early in the morning, no more fights with a woman who couldn't even understand him, and his favorite of all, less confrontations with Aizen. It was going to be quiet without her, but he was looking forward to it.

In all honesty, even thought about a month had passed since she had been entrusted into his care, he still hated her as much as he had at the beginning, maybe even more so. Their personalities just clashed too much. He couldn't understand what his fraccions, or anybody else for that matter, saw in her. Well, then again, D-Roy he could understand. He was immature and needy and had latched onto the girl for attention or out of a childish crush. Either way, the Sexta had no doubt that it wouldn't last.

Ilfort and Shawlong kept trying to convince him that the woman wasn't that bad and that she would be a great asset to him as a fraccion, but he never listened. He always figured she was too stubborn and prideful to take orders from him and he was probably right. She'd be better used serving someone like Gin or Yami, someone she got along with.

With that thought, the Sixth looked up to notice that the two Espadas had disbanded from the group they had formed, and the woman was nowhere to be seen. Shrugging it off without a second thought, Grimmjaw went back to training, not at all concerned with the woman's disappearance. Since he had first met her, the redhead had had the knack of disappearing for hours, only to reappear without you even noticing, not that the Espada really ever paid attention to where she was in the first place.

Aside form the girl's lessons, the Sixth very rarely saw much of the girl. He would occasionally bump into her in the halls or see her in her room as he went to his, but even that was only once in a blue moon.

As the day drew on, Grimmjaw found himself getting hungry. Once again, he headed down to the mess hall, meeting up with his fraccions along the way. Just like always, he ate his meal with his fraccions, joking around, making fun of the other arrancars, and talking about nothing in particular.

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Standing before one of the many windows that lined the white hallway, Misfit took a deep breath before reaching up and opening the window. A rush of warm air immediately came to brush along her face, making her shiver as her body realized just how cold it was in Los Noches. Exhaling heavily, the redhead grabbed the window frame, hoisting herself up to stand on the thin sill of the window. Leaning out slightly, she didn't even notice how high she was as her eyes searched the endlessly blue sky of Hueco Mundo, biting her lip as a sinking feeling twisted her guts. That feeling only grew as scarlet orbs came to rest upon what they sought.

The moon was waning, now less than a quarter full. With a weary sigh, the woman slumped against the window's frame, covering her face with her hands as she allowed anxiety to consume her. Soon it would be a new moon. She did not like the idea of spending a new moon in this place, though she had done it before when she had first awakened here. Oh well, she'd just have to tough it out. What's the worst that could happen? With that thought, several rather unappealing answers passed through her mind. It was probably best not to think of it.

Sliding down the window sill, the redhead came to sit with her feet dangling off the edge, her thoughts consumed with the upcoming hardships she was to bear. The clouds rolled by like flows of angel hair, the light warming her skin as she tanned in the late day sun. A noisy silence that only nature can produce came to her as she closed her eyes to listen. Somewhere nearby, a bird-like hollow sang a pretty song, while off in the distance could be heard the clatter of the mess hall.

Smiling contentedly, she listened to the various sounds that encompassed Los Noches, identifying each and every one. The sound of the bird and the mess hall, the clashing of swords in the training room that was several halls down, even the sound of Gin sneaking up on her did not elude her.

"Whacha doin'?" the silver haired fox questioned suddenly, leaning his head over her shoulder in hopes of surprising the youth. The woman just turned her head to face the ex-shinigami, not in the least bit startled. Scarlet eyes twinkled as the sight of the man lifted her spirits.

"Hello, Pont," she stated with a gentle smile.

"Well, ya're no fun. Here I wz thinkin' I wz goin' ta scare ya," he mused in mock disappointment. "So, how ya been?" Gin asked with his usual Cheshire grin.

"Ok," she lied.

"Thaz good," he retorted, not buying it, but he let it slip for the moment considering he had more pressing matters on his mind. "Say, I need ta ask ya about somethin'," the man stated, his smiling face contrasted by his serious tone. "Or rath'r… someone..." The woman turned to face him, a sense of dread filling her as the man continued to talk.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Grimmjaw finished him meal. Bidding his fraccions goodbye, he went his separate way down one of the winding hallways of Los Noches in the direction of his room. As he walked he thought to himself about everything and yet nothing in particular, a habit he had formed for himself while walking through this endless labyrinth of turns and corridors time and time again.

As he looked at all the white, he remembered the smaller, pale Espada the woman had hit this morning. He had seen him in the mess hall and made a point of jeering him about the large bruise that had formed on his jaw. The Sixth's fraccions had not been surprised to learn that Misfit had been the one to cause the Fourth's wounds, in fact, they commended her for it. Grimmjaw had to admit, she did have quite the arm. One could say he would be the authority on it considering how many times the woman had punched him.

The man's thoughts were interrupted as he heard voices from around the next bend. It sounded like Gin and Misfit, the two people he least wanted to see right now. He groaned inwardly to himself, rolling his eyes as he cursed his luck. Walking around the corner, he opened him mouth to make some surly remark, only to jump back around the corner at what he saw.

He stayed there for a moment or two, questioning if he really did just see what he did. Turning his head, he peered around the corner in time for to see Gin pull away from the hug he had just been giving the redhead. Brushing her bangs away, the silver haired fox gave her a kiss right on the hollow mask that resided on her forehead. The Sexta Espada had never seen him like this in all the time he had known him, not that he had ever known the man well. The ex-shinigami was being gentle and sweet, comforting even.

Leaning down, the ex-captain of the third cupped both of her cheeks with his hands.

"I won't tell if ya don't," he stated before giving her one final pat on the head and sauntering off down the hall. Grimmjaw watched the man's retreating form until it completely disappeared around a corner. When his eyes returned to the redhead, her body was hunched over as if weeping, hands covering her face. She remained like that for many minutes, just as he remained watching, unsure what to make of it.

Then suddenly, the redhead sat up straight, uncovering her face as she turned to look out the window. The Espada could not get a clear enough look at her face, all he could ascertain was a glance of it in profile. However, as he watched, teal eyes were able to catch sight of one stray glimmer as it rolled down her cheek to fall off her chin and out the window. _Tears? _He questioned to himself as he stepped from around the corner and made stride in her direction.

One tear was all that had been shed, but her eyes still brimmed with the salty liquid that caused her scarlet orbs to glisten profusely. They were warm tears, not tears of despair or bitterness, but ones that have no set emotion, rather they are filled with contradictory ones that tear the heart in two. Not expressive of joy or sorrow, they simply come of confusion and conflict.

Misfit was too lost in thoughts and memories to notice the teal haired man's approach, so when he spoke it was no wonder that she jumped in surprise.

"What's up with ya?" he questioned, brows furrowed in puzzlement. As the woman leaped off the ledge in fright, she turned to stand, fist at the ready should she need them. Grimmjaw just raised a brow as the redhead recognized him and lowered her guard, mumbling something of an explanation which he didn't catch. Putting one hand on the window, she brushed back her hair only to notice the tears that had formed in her eyes. Giving a light-hearted half subdued laugh, the woman shook her head from side to side despairingly.

Sitting back on the window sill, she gave a heavy sigh as she wiped the tears from her eyes, a poor attempt at hiding them from the man.

"What was that?" The Sexta asked, ignoring the fact that his first question was never answered.

"Nothing," she replied, though he didn't believe her.

"That wasn't nothin'. What were ya doing crying?" he retorted, aggravated at her lack of cooperation. The redhead just turned to give him a cocky grin.

"What you doing watching?" she replied snidely.

"I wasn't watching!" Grimmjaw snapped, though it was an obvious lie. "I just happened to turn the corner and ya just happened ta be there! Why would anyone want ta watch ya!?" Despite his anger, the woman just laughed amusedly at his response, only irritating him further. "Shut up!" he barked, leaning over the other menacingly. When she failed to concur with his demands, he just growled, cursing her under his breath as he stomped off.

"That bitch," he muttered as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, storming down the hall.

"Oi, Grimm-kitty. Where's Misfit?" someone hollered as they ran to catch up with the raging Espada.

"With any luck the f***ing bitch has fallen out the window!" the Sixth snapped, not turning to face the man that trailed him.

"Aww, that not very nice," Nnoitra teased, scoffed as the shorter male turned to glare at him. "Jeez man, what crawled up your butt and died?"

"That damn woman!" he growled, only getting angrier every time he thought of her.

"I don't see how that would be a bad thing, but hey, whatever floats your boat. Or sinks it, in this case." He snickered as the other turned to stare at him in slight confusion.

"Wha- Aw! Shut up! Ya perverted bastard!" Angrily, Grimmjaw swung out at the Fifth only for the other to dodge the attack.

"Personally, if that's what she's into, I'm so there. Usually I don't like a woman who takes charge, but for her… I'm willing to make an exception. Ya know, get a few drinks in her, some leather, som-"

"Ya f***ing sicko! I don't need ta know about yar twisted fantasies!" the Sixth barked, punching the man in the stomach as they reached his room. "Do us all a favor and die." With that, he slammed his door, attempting to block out the Fifth's cackles as he continued down the hall.

One more month, he kept telling himself, one more month and he'd be rid of her.

_See, wasn't that fun? Nnoitra's such a perv. We love him despite. Heh heh, Ulquiorra got what he deserved. XP I got my mother to watch Bleach with me. She says she likes Gin, but Ishin, Ichigo's dad, is her favorite character, him and Zangetsu and Urahara. She likes all the older men. BD That's cool though, cause all guys on Bleach are hot! Save Grimmy, he's SMEXY!~ Anyway, the usual, read and review. My Bleach harem likes it when people review. Me: "Right, boys?" Harem: "Right" Hichigo: "So review or I will find where you live and do unpleasant things to you –heh heh- 7B9" Me: "No need to kill anybody." Anywho, have a nice day. Hichigo: "Or else!"_


	6. Life In The Library

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning: **Grimmy's usual language, Gin plays a funny prank, other than that, nothing much to worry about.

_I was really looking forward to writing this chapter and for some reason, after I got past the third page my mind just went blank. Bam, full on writers block. But I plowed through. Yay, we've made it to the sexta chapter. After this chapter, my work will be starting back up, so I won't have as much time to write, but I will try to get my chapters out on my usual weekly basis. _

_Just a random thought; but if you died Ulquiorra's hair a dark green and put red lipstick on him, wouldn't he look like the Joker from The Dark Knight? I mean, he has the pale face and he already scares small children. –heh heh- of course, you'd have to get rid of that helmet/mask thing of his, but it could work. Quick! Hid all the pencils and switch blades. _

_That'd be kinda funny actually, first we had scary-clown, now we have emo-clown. Of course, now all the Ulquiorra fans are going to hate me, but oh well. If I cared what people thought I wouldn't be writing this. I would pay to see him turn to Aizen and say "Why so serious?" Ha ha love it! XD_

**Disclaimer: **Roses are red  
Flames make me blue  
I don't own Bleach  
So you please don't sue

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"Grimmjaw is the product of a panther, a human, and one damn good bottle of vodka,"

-My friend Ashley on 'Grimmjaw's origins'

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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 6.Life In The Library

Rhythmic drumming sent a muffled reverberation out through the stilled air as slim fingers minced their frustration into the sturdy wood, the sound quickly absorbed by the books that littered the shelves, aisle ways, and tables. Stifled wisps of light, like shimmering silver hair, wafted languidly through the room. The pale morning chill began to recede with the shadows as dawns sweet rays graced the world with warmth. No attempt was made to muffle the yawn that growled its weary discontent, scarlet eyes squinting shut as fatigue overcame, opening only to once more resume their disgruntled glower of the books that sat before them.

It was not so much the literature that sparked her discontent, as much as the absence of an interpreter. Forty-eight tick cycles she had been there and still the pages of useless scribblings remained her soul company. Did the teal haired pain in the you-know-where somehow get it in his empty head that she had nothing better to do?

Well, to that, he would have been correct in his assumption. Being the time of dawns first light, it was too early for breakfast, but too late to sleep.

She saw little point in conversing with the holed-humans. It was a trifling considering that neither understood the other very well, although admittedly, their presence was of some gratification.

Not to keep secrets, she would have been impeccably contented following Briden around, in spite of their inability to communicate. She found the composed dignity of his poise to strongly mach his aristocratic style. She enjoyed the regal and understanding tone he took while speaking to her, despite her total lack of comprehension.

He was so kind, and always seemed to be concerned for her, or at least, that was what his body language hinted at. Yes, she greatly loved the appeasing feeling his presence gave her, but alas, she found that Briden liked to sleep through the sun's rising. She did not wish to disturb his peaceful dreaming, and so, she sat waiting for Machi Cona to make his belated entrance.

They had been meeting here for her lessons maybe about eight hand counts worth of sun rises, this was nothing new. Had he just decided to blatantly ignore the job he had been given, to ignore her? Fingers stopped drumming, snorting in annoyance, her hand slamming down on the table with a stinging bash.

"Vlichh zling kark!" Cursing under her breath, she decided that if he didn't show in the next nine tick cycles, she would get up and go to his room, where she presumed he was sleeping, and drag him back by that stupid mess of teal hair.

Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when a ghostly pale form glided in, and out, of the view through the door frame. But soon the pale head reappeared as it poked around the corner, to study her through closed eyes. Red orbs lingered over him, watching out of the corner of her eye. Her lower lip perched out in irritation, chin resting in the cup of her hand. Pulling the rest of him to follow his head, he saunter over to stand leisurely against the table, tilting his head as his gaze rolled down upon her.

"Oi, where's Grimm-kitty? Don't ya two usually rendezvous 'ere?" His tease was only met by confusion.

"Jeee- Jree- Gree-Gri-Grima-mma-kwi-kwitay! Gri-mmm-kiteay?" stuttering and slurring the word around her mouth, she sounded slightly drunken as she questioned his statement.

"Oi, dat'z right. Grimm-kitty," but still the girl just tilted her head in questioning.

"Grimm-kitty?" Perching out his lower lip, Gin reflected on how to convey the concept of the teal haired nuisance to the young maiden. With a resounding hum of inspiration, the former shinigami held a solitary lanky finger to point at the ceiling, before wheeling around to take grasp of a pencil and paper.

Hand moving feverishly in its haste of labor, pencil scratching its dark marks across the white paper, he worked in great diligence. The red headed onlooker watched perplexed at his movements. Gaze breaking from his toils but once to stare ponderingly into space, he was quick to return to his scribbling, hand moving spontaneousy about the paper in jagged lines. The paper gave a snapping sound as he snatched it from the table, proudly parading his masterpiece out for the girl to see as a cheery smile grew across his face.

"Grimm-kitty," he stated, pointing to an array of squiggles that disrupted the otherwise still paper. It at first glance appeared to be a tree with a single small tuft of leaves at the top and with a strange pole entangled by string in one of its branches, but upon further inspection, the trunk seemed to grow pants and the limbs appeared to sprout fingers, or at least something of that nature. Below what was once believed to be leaves, had shaped something akind to features of a face and what had at first glance been mistaken for a knot hole was now forming itself into a sort of hollowed cavity that went straight through the object.

"Still not gettin' it, hun?" the silver haired fox questioned, somewhat disappointedly.

"Machi Cona?" she muttered unassuredly. Leaning into the poorly drawn picture, pointing at was supposed to be hair, she looked up at the man as she figured it out. "Blue?" Gin smiled wildly at the fact that his doodle had actually conveyed the message.

"Yez, yez, 'is hair is blue," he nodded, congratulating the woman on her cleverness.

"Grimm-kitty," she hummed coyly in amusement.

"Say, ya wanna have a bita fun with Grimm-kitty?" Gin snickered, an idea popping into his head.

"Fun?" she asked interestedly.

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Grimmjaw sprinted down the hall, shoving people out of his way as he dashed towards the library. He had overslept and was late for the woman's lessons. _Oh, shit. Today of all days! _Ordinarily he wouldn't have cared whether he was late or not, but today not caring wasn't an option. Tosen had warned him that Aizen would be dropping by for a surprise visit to see how the woman's progress was going. This was not good.

Throwing open the doors to the library, the Sexta huffed, trying desperately to catch his breath. The girl looked up from her seat, Gin raising his gaze with her as he leaned over the woman. They appeared to be working on something though Grimmjaw was too preoccupied with looking for Aizen to realize what it was. His eyes scoured the room as he searched for any sign of his leader. He wasn't there. Letting out an aggravated huff, the Sixth walked over to the table, falling back heavily into one of the chairs. The woman turned to look at Gin, but the ex-captain just shook his head.

"What's wrong?" she asked curiously. The Espada just glanced up at her, his shoulders slouching as he exhaled quietly.

"It's nothing." Shrugging, the woman went back to her work.

"Afraid Aizen would be 'ere? Hmm?" Gin snickered, watching as the Espada bolted up.

"I ain't afraid o' anything," he barked defensively.

"Then why were ya runnin'?" Grimmjaw turned red with anger as he gritted his teeth. Glaring off into a corner, he resigned himself to slouching back into his seat. However, he was forced to turn his attention to the redhead who was currently tugging on his sleeve.

"Yeah? What do ya want?" He snapped, though the woman was used to this form of response.

"What does 'babe' mean?" she asked, a puzzled look coming to mingle with her features.

"'Babe'? Where'd ya hear it from?"

"Nnoitra," she stated as if it was obvious and to be perfectly honest, it probably was.

"Huh, shoulda known," he muttered, more to himself than anything. "It's a come-on line. A derogatory term, like a mean nickname." Misfit nodded at his explanation, though she didn't completely get it.

"Thank you, Grimm-kitty," she responded appreciatively.

"Yeah, yeah, what e-" his eyes opened wider as he stared at the wall for a moment before turning his head sharply to stare angrily at the woman. "What did ya call me!?" The woman just blinked, slightly perplexed at what he was upset about. Growling irritably, Grimmjaw leaned in to stare the woman straight in the eyes, an attempt to intimidate her that failed. "Did ya just call me 'Grimm-kitty'?" he snarled, his tone dripping with a menacing disdain. The woman smiled at him, genuinely proud of herself for learning what she though was his name.

"Ton. Grimm-kitty." Her smile dropped, however, when the Espada slammed his fist down on the table, causing her to jump back in surprise.

"Don't ya ever f***ing call me that!!" he shouted harshly. This was not the reaction the redhead had expected.

"Now Grimm-kitty, is dat anyway ta talk ta our li'l desert rose?" Gin questioned, placing his hand on Misfit's shoulder. Both the woman and the Sixth looked up into the grinning face of the ex-shinigami as he tilted his head innocently.

"Ya," the Espada snarled, connecting A to B. "Ya're the one that taught her ta call me that!" Standing up, he threw his chair back angrily, the redhead watching as her teacher had one of his usual hissy-fits. "Ya bastard!"

"Dat'z not all I taught her," he hinted, his Cheshire grin taking on a feral appeal. The Sexta's face dropped, a creeping feeling crawling up his spine at the silver fox's smirk.

"Wha…" He was interrupted however, as Aizen opened the doors to the library, letting enough of his retsu out so as to announce his presence. As all eyes turned to stare at him, the brunette leader surveyed the scene with slight prideful arrogance. Immediately upon seeing the arrancar's leader, Misfit sat up straight, folding her hands on her lap as she bowed her head to look up at him respectfully.

"Ah, Gin, I see you have taken the liberty of arriving early," the self-proclaimed god commented.

Walking in with proud and fluent steps, Aizen came to stand between his fox like second in command and the Sexta Espada, Tosen not far behind him.

"How have you been, my dear?" he asked, turning to give the redhead a charming smile.

"I is good" she muttered shyly, looking down at the ground as a slight blush painted itself across her cheeks. The ex-captain of the Fifth just patted Misfit affectionately on the head, pretending not to notice her still developing crush on him. Grimmjaw just furrowed his brow at the woman's response, finding it annoyed him greatly.

"Shall we get on with it?" Aizen suggested, taking a testy tone with the Sixth. Snorting, the Espada grumbled something under his breath before turning to face the woman.

"Ok. Let's get to work," Grimmjaw stated uninterestedly. Giving a swift nod, Misfit ushered a rushed "ok" before looking down at her shirt which she began to unbutton. She got about three buttons undone before Kaname grabbed her arm harshly, causing her to stop as he jerked it away from her partially opened top. Looking up, she noticed the black man that held her wrist was wearing a rather disapproving frown. Though Aizen's wasn't quite as harsh, his expression was still serious and filled with concern. Even Grimmjaw was staring at the woman in confusion. It was Gin alone that retained his usual casual manner. Standing a few feet to the woman's left, he sported his usual Cheshire grin.

"What are you doing?" Kaname questioned sternly.

"Work," she stated matter-of-factly while wearing her best innocent face.

"What manner of work is this?" the blind man demanded. Looking slightly perplexed she turned to stare questioningly at the Sexta Espada. He just raised a brow, scrunching his nose up at the look she gave him. Looking back at the man that still held her wrist, the redhead pointed at Grimmjaw, looking like a child that didn't know what it had done wrong as she answered,

"Grimm-kitty taught." Kaname's blind eyes shot open at this statement. Whirling around, he glared at the Sixth with a look of death.

"Ohc my," Gin stated, suppressing a light snicker. "Wha have ya been teachin' her Grimm-kitty?" The Espada was about to retort when he felt a strong hand clasp down on his shoulder. Craning his head around, he was met by Aizen as he gave the arrancar a cool but menacing stare.

"Sexta," the way the brunette drew his name out made something in the pit of the Sixth's stomach give a lurch. "What has your conduct with our guest been in my absence?"

"I ain't done nothin'! This bitch is lying!" he barked as he jerked from his leaders grasp.

"Oh, so she's yar 'bitch', is she?" Gin questioned tauntingly.

"That's not what I said!!" the Espada raved, though he knew their "god" was more likely to listen to Gin and Misfit than he was to listen to him.

"Come now, miss," Kaname comforted. "You can tell us if this ruffiant is mistreating you."

"I didn't do anything!" the Sexta snapped, turning to glare at the redhead as she worked up a blush. Covering her face with her hands, she turned to lean into Gin as if she was truly upset, all the while, fighting back giggles.

"Grimmjaw Jaggerjack, you are a monster. One that has misused his privileges to take advantage of this young lady." Tuning back to the Espada, the blind man drew his sword, meaning to see that justice was carried out. The arrancar took a fighting stance, ready to defend himself should he need to.

Things went on like this for several more minutes till finally Misfit found she could contain herself no longer. Clutching the silver haired fox's captain jacket, she laughed uncontrollably as she watched the confused looks that grew on the men's faces. Snickering amusedly, Gin smirked at the Sexta as he stared at the woman, completely baffled.

"Cn't ya take a joke?" Grimmjaw's eyes grew wide, his face turning red with indignation.

"Ya little bitch!" the Sixth barked.

"Aww, ya shouldn't be so hard on her. Aft'r all, it wz my idea," the silver fox sneered, knowing full well that Aizen would let him get away with almost anything.

"So this was your idea, was it, Gin?" the brunette questioned, giving no hints to whatever emotion he might be feeling about the matter. The fox-like man just gave an affirmative nod, not showing any remorse for his little trick. Changing his gaze from the man to the redhead that stood next the him, the self-proclaimed god watched as she lowered her head, not sure whether or not she should be ashamed of her act.

"Hmm, what a good little actress she is. Very skilled indeed." Grimmjaw's jaw dropped.

"What. The. F***!" he snarled as Aizen again patted the woman on the head. "I'm about to get killed by dreadlocks over here because of this damn bitch's lies and ya praise her!?!" he yelled. "I must agree with the Sexta on this. One should not jest about such serious matters," the blind man reprimanded. The redhead just shrugged, not really taking the blind man seriously.

"Still though, I think we will be able to put these talents of hers to good use. Wouldn't you agree, Gin?" Aizen asked rhetorically, though the addressed gave a reply anyway.

"Yez, Aizen-sama. She'll be very useful."

Aizen remained for but a half hour after the incident to critique the Misfit's progress and with that, he gave the command for them to carry on, departing from their company to take care of other important matters. Kaname had to leave as well to go take care of a fight between two Espadas. Gin alone remained to watch the rest of the woman's lesson. However, it wasn't long before the silver fox became bored with the lesson and sought to interrupt it once more.

"'ere, got ya somethin'," Gin snickered, holding out a package that the redhead was hesitant to take. It was just your typical brown package with a nice little red ribbon tied around it. Misfit looked at it credulously before pointing at it and then herself questioningly. "Go on, open it." The silver fox insisted.

Looking back down at the package, she pulled one of the ends of the ribbon, causing the bow to come undone. Draping the trimming around her neck, the woman continued to open the package. As she peeled the brown paper wrapping back, she gave a slightly confused look at what it held. Gin gave her a delighted grin, encouraging her to show them what she had gotten. Lifting the contents out of the its confines, she held it out for both men to see. It was a new uniform. The woman looked at it, slightly puzzled as she turned it over in her hands.

"Clothes?" she questioned, not understanding why she needed more since one pair was enough for her. The ex-shinigami nodded his head, dismissing her confusion for the moment.

The uniform's top was quite similar to Grimmjaw's. It left the stomach uncovered and closed down the front; it also had a collar exactly matching the Sixth's. However, her's had short sleeves and was more shaped for a woman's anatomy. It also had some emblem stitched onto the right shoulder that the Sixth never got a clear look at. Included with the top was a plain white mini-skirt equipped with a black belt of about a dozen large circles connected by smaller chain links.

The redhead looked at the garb appreciatively, rubbing her thumb against the soft fabric. Holding it up against her body, she attempted to deduce what it would look like on her.

"Why don't ya try it on?" Gin suggested with a snicker. Getting the gist of what he meant, though she didn't know what he had said exactly, Misfit gave a nod, collecting the outfit in her arms before walking behind a bookshelf to change. There was silence for a moment or two before the redhead popped back around the corner.

"No watch," she stated sternly, glaring at the Sixth to show the order was directed more to him. Grimmjaw just snorted, scowling at the woman in irritation.

"Like I'd want to," he grumbled. The woman eyed him cautiously and untrustingly before ducking back behind the bookshelf. With a sigh, the Sexta sat down at the table they had been working at.

He was so tired. He hadn't been sleeping well because of these dreams that kept plaguing him every night for about the last week. The Sixth couldn't even remember what they were about half the time and even when he could they were very vague details that gave no hints to the origins of the dream. Laying on the table, he rested his head on his arm, closing his eyes as he began to drift off. The sunlight felt so warm as it streamed down onto him, Grimmjaw felt his feline nature taking over as it urged him to nap in the cozy spot. His thoughts became light and drifted away as he fell into a soft slumber.

Gin snickered as the Sexta took a little catnap, knowing he'd have to tease him about it later. Pulling out a chair, the ex-captain of the third sat down at a table separate from the one the Sixth currently occupied. Sitting there, he twiddled his thumbs as he waited for the redhead to finish dressing. It didn't take much longer.

Stepping out from behind the bookshelf, Misfit stepped somewhat shyly out into the middle of the room. Gin was slightly surprised at what he saw, but he didn't let it show as his face was plastered with his usual knowing smile. Instead of changing into the skirt, she had kept the pants that the Sixth had given her, not even bothering to try the skirt on. It wasn't that she was trying to be rude or even that she didn't like skirts, it was just that she knew mini-skirts weren't the best thing to fight in. Though truth be told, she did prefer her skirts long.

Another thing the ex-shinigami noticed about her was her shirt was on inside out, so that the black inner lining was showing on the outside. She had rolled the short sleeves up around her shoulders so the white part showed along the rolls. The emblem was now backwards on her right shoulder, not that anyone could make it out considering it was stitched in black thread. The collar now showed white and the buttons were hidden on the underside. Also, she wore the red ribbon that had been wrapped around the package as a necklace. Having wrapped it around her neck, she had tied it into a neat little bow off to left side of her neck. Though her outfit had changed a bit, she still had her black leather gloves on.

"Dat'z interestin'" Gin snickered. She smiled at him appreciatively only to notice the sleeping Espada. Nodding her head towards him, she gave the ex-shinigami a puzzled look. Not even bothering to glance over at the Sixth, the man's grin just grew wider as he explained, "Grimm-kitty is tired. H'z just taken a catnap." The redhead nodded understandingly, though she didn't recognize the words.

"Catnap?" she repeated, closing her eyes and laying her head on her hands to simulate sleeping.

"Yez," Gin gave a short nod of his head in approval, making the woman's smile grow as she walked over to him. Deciding to carry on the lesson where the other had left off, the man began to teach her different sayings found in everyday conversation. Misfit seemed to pick them up quickly, making the whole thing pass by that much faster.

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Finally after three hour had passed, Grimmjaw finally awoke with a start. The dreams had come back and he found himself once again, struggling to remember the details. When he found he could not, the Sexta looked around, trying to remember where he was. It all cam to him rather quickly as he spotted the redhead sitting next to the man with the third squad captain's jacket on.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he stocked over to where the two sat, leaning on the table as he watched them work. It took him a while, but eventually he did notice the Misfit's new uniform and when he did, he stared at her as if she was mad.

"What the hell are ya wearing?"

"Iz her new uniform," Gin retorted merrily.

"Why the hell is it inside out!?" he snorted, not really caring what the answer was.

Pointing at various items about the room, she explained the method to her madness, "White, white, white, white, white, white." Pointing this time to her inside-out shirt, she declared proudly, "Black."

"Aww," Gin cooed. "she wantz ta stand out." Grimmjaw just snorted, rolling his eyes at the fact that the woman cared about such a trivial thing.

"Misfit!!" a rather recognizable voice cheered enthusiastically. Turning around, they were met with the familiar sight of D-Roy as he bounded through the doors and into the room, pouncing onto the redhead affectionately. Misfit smiled, hugging the zealous arrancar back as he nuzzled into her.

"Sorry about that. He's a bit hard to control you see," Ilfort explained as he stepped through the door, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's not that he's hard to handle. It's just that you are incapable of it," came a surly voice as Szayel stepped from around the corner.

"Tona, chy?" Misfit questioned excitedly, a huge grin plastering itself on her face as she beamed at the two men. "What you doing here?"

"We came to see you, of course," Ilfort said in good spirits. "Isn't that right Sza-Sza?" he smirked, nudging Szayel in the side.

"Don't call me that," the scientist snapped irritably.

"You know?" Misfit questioned, pointing between the two men. She had always associated Szayel with the Espadas, and associated Ilfort with Grimmjaw, but never the two together.

"Of course we know each other. We're brothers. Can't you see the resemblance?" Ilfort chuckled, enjoying himself as he put his arm around his shorter brother's shoulder. It was kind of funny seeing the two standing next to each other, Szayel, the younger but higher ranked of the two, with his shoulder-length bubblegum pink hair, and Ilfort with his long bright blond locks. They certainly stood out in a crowd. What with their refined good looks, they were definitely handsome by any standards.

Szayel scrunched up his nose as his older brother ruffled his hair teasingly, pushing away from him with an annoyed expression that only a sibling can bring on. Misfit gave a soft smile at the brotherly love, sensing the two were close even though the pink-haired scientist denied being in anyway linked with his elder brother. She found it somewhat heartwarming that the two had managed to remain together, even after death.

"Moving on," Szayel hummed, changing the subject first chance he got. "I hear Misfit might be excepted into Aizen-sama's army. He's even thinking of making her an Espada. Better watch it or your pupil will be taking your place," he added, getting satisfaction at the rolling of Grimmjaw's eyes.

"Why the hell would she be accepted into Aizen's f***ing army, let alone made an Espada?" The Sexta grumbled, staring off into a corner.

"Well she is an arrancar, isn't she?" D-Roy questioned as he hung on the woman's arm.

"Yup, dat she is," Gin nodded, his usual knowing grin plastered on his face. Grimmjaw froze, the ex-shinigami's words ringing in his ears.

"She's a what?!" he blurted out, wheeling around to stare wide eyed at the fox-like man.

"She's an arrancar. Don't tell m' ya did not notice." Gin stated, wrapping himself around the woman's other arm.

"I thought she was a hollow," the Sixth spat in confusion.

"A hollow with such power? I think not. Besides, her mask is too small to be a hollow's," Szayel reminded as Gin drew her bangs back like curtains to reveal the bud shaped sliver of her hollow mask. Grimmjaw gawked for several minutes, trying to process this new bit of information. Shaking his head, he came to, pointing at the redhead as he argued with the ex-captain.

"Then where's her hollow-hole?" The other man just shrugged sincerely.

"Ya're da one dat'z been wid her this whole time. Don't ya know?" he taunted.

"It's not like I f***ing look for it," the Sexta snapped.

"Sure ya don't. Yar mind'z probably preoccupied with _other_ thingz," Gin snickered as he watched the anger grow in the Sixth's eyes.

"Boss," D-Roy whined, still clinging to the woman. "I thought ya said I could have her." Grimmjaw just grumbled something incoherent as a response, kicking one of the piles of books that lay all about the room.

"Well anyway, I think she's just fascinating" Szayel stated, resting his chin on his folded hands. "I've searched through all my files, but I can't seem to find whatever language she's speaking. She's already proved to be rather powerful and we haven't seen her full abilities yet. On top of that she has no retsu. We found her half dead in the desert. I want to know what manner of creature she is. She's a scientific wonder. I wonder if Aizen would let me dissect her," the scientist muttered the last part to himself, though everyone heard it.

"No!" D-Roy shouted protectively. "I won't let you hurt my Misfit!" He bolted up to stand between the woman and the scientist, arms stretched out as if to shield her.

"Calm down. I'm not going to do anything to her. Everyone knows she's Aizen-sama's newest interest. And with her being as mysterious as she is, I have a feeling that's going to last for some time," he explained, waving his hand dismissively at the small arrancar.

With that, the conversation began another route, the gathering of arrancars and the ex-shinigami gabbing away as they each in turn taught Misfit their own little odds and ends of conversation. The young redhead enjoyed their company. Each had their little quirks, but overall they were nice people. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be that bad living here.

_How was that? I liked writing the Ilfort and Szayel part. I think Ilfort is a good big brother and Szayel just always came across as a younger sibling to me even before I learned they were related. Tell me what ya thought of chapter six. I know I've said this before, but the next chapter will be very fun.. o.o well, interesting at least. Until then, have a good week. X3_


	7. Fright

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning: **The same old same old.

_This chapter is probably my favorite chapter so far. I have been looking forward to writing it for so long and now it's here. X3 If you can, read this chapter in the dark. It will help the effect. In this chapter, we learn a crucial fact about Misfi'ts past, among other fun facts. Fright is a kinda long chapter, I don't know why. It was really fun to write so it just kept rolling. Plus there's a lot that goes into this chapter._

_I would like to thank everyone who has, and still is, reading my story. We've made it to 600 hits! Yay!!!XD Grimmjaw: "What's so f***ing great about that!?" Me: "Misfit," Misfit: -punches Grimmjaw's arm REALLY hard- Me: "Thank you very much, X3" anyway, I've been looking forward to this chapter for a long time, and here it is. Dut dut dddaaaaaaa~ enjoy_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach, but Grimmy's still MINE.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx  
All I desire for my own burial is not to be buried alive.  
-Lord Chesterfield  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 7. Fright

The gentle clap of shoes on linoleum echoed throughout the placid hallways of Las Noches, drumming its steady beat with hollowed strides. The white uniformed Espada swept through the empty corridors, like a wisp of smoke gliding across water. Garmenture contradicted the sleek black locks that pulled down past a dainty jaw line yet were unable to brush the trim shoulders that sloped from a graceful neck. Eyes of a murky jade lay fixed ahead, never chancing a glance astray as they gazed blankly to a world beyond the present.

Ulquiorra strode down the hall without a seconds hesitation. He was on an errand for his 'god', and would follow the orders word for word.

With fluid movements, he laid a total of three sturdy knocks on the closed door. The request for his entrance was out of a desire to avoid the teal hair Espada's general antagonisms more than any rule of social graces.

A low growl resounded from the room and with that, the Fourth opened the door to close it behind him in one elegant motion, needing no more acknowledgment from the Sixth for admission. The room was uncomfortably dark, embellished only by the soft glow that slipped from beneath the door. Squinting, the raven haired arrancar was just able to make out the bed that lay buried in one of the four corners of the room. It was just like all the other beds in Hueco Mundo- white, rectangular, could fit two or so people, overall boring. Sheets lay tangled around his stretched form, limbs splayed out in each and every direction across the soft mattress which housed a sprawled Grimmjaw.

"Aizen-sama wishes to know how much progress you've made with the girl's less…" Ulquiorra stopped as he took in the other arrancar outline. The Sixth lay, eyes closed, as his expression pulled at a somewhat wicked grin, mixed with something the upper rank couldn't discern. His face would change from that sneer, to a sort of grimace, to pleasure, and back again, all the while, purrs, growls, moans, and all sorts of approval-filled noises hummed from his throat. Teal hair splayed out in disarray compared to its usual style, his moist glistening body squirmed slightly, wriggling beneath the sheets that precariously covered his groin. He was, as luck would have it, wearing nothing but his birthday suit beneath the white sheets, and with his movements, was teasing the other's eyes to view of his nether regions. Had Ulquiorra not been of such stoic composure, his eyes might have widened a tad as the sheets rose to form a rather large hill in the Sexta Espada's lap.

"s-so... ah," Grimmjaw arched his back, bucking his hips in search of friction, "unn- aaaah." His sensual cries sent shivers down the raven haired spectator. It was clear to any by now that what Grimmjaw was having was a wet dream, and a five star one by the looks of it.

Ulquiorra hesitated only once, just for a moment or two. If he were to interrupt the others pleasureful dream, he was sure to be cross and uncooperative. But if he did not wake him, he would not get the information Aizen-sama wanted anyway. With what would have been a weary sigh, the Fourth stepped forward and bent over to shake the slumbering Espada. But Grimmjaw, despite being a deep sleeper, never completely let his guard down. With a menacing growl, more threatening then the sensual ones of his dreams, the Sixth's arm shot out to take an excruciating hold of the intruder's wrist. Ulquiorra gave a slight wince at the strength of the teal haired man's grasp, but was quick to revert to his former detached self as Grimmjaw's eyes fluttered open to glare at him in half awakened disdain.

"Ulquiorra?... what the f*** y'a doin here!?" he snorted, repositioning himself to rest on his left elbow, right arm reaching across his body in its death hold of the others wrist. "Do y'a always sneak into lower ranked Espada's rooms and watch them sleep!? Give y'a some kinda sick sexual pleasure or something!?!" It was clear that the Sixth was not pleased at being awskened from his dream to find Ulquiorra standing mutely over him. Grimmjaw had been rather enjoying his dream, more so than any others he had had. The reason being, he could not tell. It was no different from the others. The kisses had been hungry and lustful, the touches, smoldering and sensual. The girl had been just as beautiful as the others, well, maybe less so, but still, every moment had had him grunting and begging for more. He could still feel her touches beneath his skin, marks she had laid on his neck, the kisses she had wisped down his torso, the way she had nuzzled his hips before taking him in her mouth. Remembering the static jolts of ecstasy her warm mouth canvassed around his hardened arousal had given him, he shivered, feeling his temperature rise as the heated pressure in his groin made it presence painfully clear.

"Aizen-sama sent me. He wants to know how the girls lessons are going," Ulquiorra seemed unaffected by the whole matter as he related his message. Grimmjaw only became further irked at the idea of his horny dream being disturbed over such a trivial matter.

"Can't he wait till morning like everyone else!? It's f***ing great. Now get the hell out. Ya want to know more ya can ask her yarself." Despite his bark for the other to leave, he did not release his hand as the other gazed stoically down upon him.

"Who was she?" the calm and listless manner in which the question was asked only brought a pink blush to camouflage itself against the tanned skin. He studdered a bit when the topic of his dream was brought up.

"Wha-What the f*** are ya talking about!"

"Your dream, who was it that could make you give such pleasured sound?" Ulquiorra's interest had been aroused. The teal haired Espada was always either annoyed to hell or blissfully insane, but he had never heard him like this. So against his usual character, the raven haired arrancar found himself leaning closer so as to better inquire of Grimmjaw, "What was her name?"

The Sexta Espada leaned back as the distance between them began to close.

"…her name?…" It was clear now, a deep blush took over his face at the memory of the random woman he had dreamed of caressing his body.

But before another thought could be processed, a sharp cry rang its throughout the room. Think the baritone sounds of a zipper unzipped, coupled with the spine chilling shriek of ripping jeans mixed with the eerie ethereal sound of a ghost's cry, and you pretty much had the unnerving call that came to their ears. To both Espadas' horror, a blackened slit began to form midair in the very center of the room, not but six or so feet from them. As the slit began to grow it wavered and wafted with a glimmer like the eternity of space, darken colors swirling within the expansion of the eternal placement of galaxies.

When the tear had grown wide enough for a full grown man to fit through, its growth was halted and it remained, warbling sound filling the room as it spat forth its contents.

"Tashi malu bonty yata kinjalurea xickvoo wildemorcontolemazevonderachimeru!!!" The stuttered wails rang forth with an uncanny terror as they lassoed the spectator's breath, pulling it out of their very lungs. The last part of the howl became slurred in its panic. Incoherent sounds of plicking, plucks, and ghastly screeches pierced the silence of the night, leaving a suspenseful dread and foreboding trepidation. From the rip was spewed an undiscernable blur of white and red, flailing and floundering about as it tumbled about the floor. Never once did it stop its writhing as it sought to scramble back from the hole from which it came, screeching and yelping all sorts of obscenities in its maddened struggle for distance. As some of its movements became vaguely less frantic, the creature became recognizable as Misfit, only her usual unruffled strength and unyielding pride seemed to have been shattered and shot to hell.

Still screeching her unholy ruckus, she swung a hand out through the air in the direction of the portal, her words sounding like a cross between an Indian prayer and an Irish chant. With a dull glow like the dancing spectrums of light at the bottom of a pool, the gateway began to dissolve into thin air.

There on the floor she remained, panting heavily, chest heaving as if still consumed by panic. Staring at the spot where the rip had once been, she kept an arm raised as if still expecting something to suddenly come lunging at her. The two Espadas just stared at her, not sure what to make to the whole display. Their mouths hung wide open, eyes filled with silent astonishment at the woman's actions. After a long silence, Ulquiorra was the first to speak.

"What is wrong, woman?" he stated apathetically, regaining his stoic composure.

Shrieking wildly, the woman jumped back, whirling around to stare at the two in deadly terror. Grimmjaw was still in bed, Ulquiorra hovering over him, his arm still in the Sexta's tight hold. The teal haired man was slightly sweaty, covered by nothing but his sheets, his erection painfully obvious. Both men stared at the redhead in surprise. Scarlet eyes stared back, fear still filling them, but astonishment was now the predominant emotion. Even in the dim light of the Sexta's room, it took no effort to make out the dark blush that overtook the woman' face as she began to back up, unable to break her eyes away from the sight.

"S-sorry" she stammered awkwardly, "n-no interrupt." Still backing up slowly, she shook her head furiously, closing her eyes tight against the image that lay before her.

"N-NO! It's not what ya think!!!" Grimmjaw barked, disgusted by the idea that had popped into the girl's head, releasing Ulquiorra's arm as he reached out to the redhead. A light line of pink grew across his face.

"Petra mashi pelint toe leerzin bina-" She started rambling, resorting back to her native tongue.

"Shit!" Grimmjaw cursed, panicking at the woman's assumptions. Just then the redhead backed into the door, the doorknob jabbing her in the back. With a sudden screech the woman leapt forward and onto the bed, scrambling into the Sexta's lap as she franticly attempted to escape whatever it was that had stabbed her. As she clung desperately to the teal haired man, her arms wrapped tight around him, Grimmjaw stared down in utter shock.

"What the hell!" he stated harshly.

"I see you two are getting along better," Ulquiorra mused monotonously.

"Shut up!" the Sixth barked at the other male, anger rising in him at the Fourth's comment. But as the woman pressed closer into him, Grimmjaw noticed something he had failed to make note of. She was trembling… uncontrollably. Teal eyes became fixed on the woman's shaking form as she clutched to him frantically, her face buried into his chest as if she was trying to hide herself from something he couldn't see. Placing his large calloused hands on the woman's back, he marveled at just how much she jumped at the touch. Leaning back, he attempted to get a good look at the woman's face, so as to better deduce her condition, but was shocked at what he saw.

The redheads face was contorted in fear, her scarlet eyes brimming with tears as she sobbed in utter terror. A slash mark lined down her left cheek, a thin stream of blood trickling down from it as she sniveled. Every line of the woman's visage conveyed the complete and absolute desperation of her situation, the dim lights doing harsh, cruel things to her appearance.

"What's wrong with her?" Ulquiorra questioned, reaching out a hand which he placed upon her shoulder. Gasping, she leaped off the Sixth's lap with a start, throwing herself against the wall and as far away from the Fourth as possible, breathing heavily as she stared at him, eyes as large as humanly possible. Grimmjaw frowned at the loss of warmth, his arousal making itself painfully obvious.

"Probably saw yar damn face," he grunted, pushing the higher ranked away from him, "Get outa my face." Turning to Misfit, he watched as her chest rose and fell in deep heavy breaths, looking like an animal that had been cornered. Her arms stretching out against the wall, she surveyed them with intense fear. At first Grimmjaw didn't know what to do. He had never seen her like this in all the time he'd been with her. The seer animalistic terror in her eyes was haunting. After several minutes of being lost in thought, the Sixth finally asked the most obvious question.

"What's wrong with ya?" The woman just shook convulsively, unable to control her own fear. All she could do was repeat the same word over and over as if it was all she knew.

"Maephias. Maephias. Maephias… Maephias," her words broke into sobs as tears began to pour down her cheeks.

"What the hell is a 'maephias'!?" Grimmjaw growled to the Cuarta who in turn only gave a shrug to convey that he too did not know. However, at the utterance of the word, Misfit's head snapped up, jerking all about as if expecting whatever "maephias" was to materialize at any moment and attack her. As she continued to search around the room wildly for what wasn't there, the Sexta reached out and, grabbing her arm, jerked her towards him. With a screech, the redhead came crashing into the man. Though he was prepared for her forthcoming, he could not help but be knocked back slightly by the collision.

Rubbing his head, he stared down at the panicky woman as she yanked her wrist from his grasp. Both hands now free, he seized her arms just below the shoulders and shook her as he attempted to bring her to her senses.

"What the hell is wrong with ya!?!" As he stopped shaking her, he stared into those glossy scarlet orbs, searching them for understanding, but there was none. All there was, was pure unbridled terror, honest unadulterated fear. There was no snapping her to her senses, for this was true undiluted horror that consumed the mind and brought it, nay, dragged it to panic.

As Grimmjaw stared at the woman, she trembled even more, her whole body spasming as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. She didn't even bother to wipe away the tears as she clung desperately to the man's wrists. Bowing her head, she gasped for breath between sobs, her grip on his arms tightening to the point where her muscles ached.

Looking from the quivering figure to the apathetic Espada, Grimmjaw looked confused as he asked his question.

"What do we do?" The Fourth just watched him as if he was an idiot before responding with a tone that made the other arrancar feel like a moron.

"Comfort her."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that!?" Ulquiorra just gave a light shrug while looking down on the shaking Misfit. Growling, Grimmjaw yanked his arms out of the redhead's hold, causing her to gasp as she almost fell over. For lack of the ability to change into any clothes without the redhead first seeing him in the buff, he grabbed the blanket and tied it around his waist with the knot on the side of his hip. Do to the blanket's size, he had to fold it in half in order to actually wear it without worrying about tripping over it.

Pushing Misfit off of him, he eased his way to the edge of the bed, hopping off when he found it. Standing up straight, he did his best to ignore his present "problem" as he prepared to deal with the redhead. The woman watched him for the most part, though her eyes jerked away to investigate the slightest sound that she might have heard, though most of them she imagined. Turning around to the frightened woman, Grimmjaw grabbed her around the waist and in one swift, smooth and decisive move, hoisted her off the bed and into a standing position.

It took a few minutes for her to get her legs under her, but even after she did, the redhead still insisted on clinging to the man's muscular arm. With her arms wrapped around his, she refused to let go. The Sexta himself found he couldn't peel her off. Giving an annoyed sigh, he decided to let her be, patting her shoulder in an attempt to get her to loosen her grip so she wasn't cutting off his circulation. A soft whimper could be heard coming from Misfit, but other then that she just trembled quietly.

"It's okay. Nothing's goin' to hurt ya," Grimmjaw assured in a poor attempt to comfort her. She shivered at the touch, but presently she sobbed no more. Grabbing his sword, he transferred it to his right, which was the one Misfit clung to. Using his now free left hand, he held onto the woman's shoulder to steady her as he began to walk forward. The darkness of the room made each step treacherous as he fumbled his way to the door, attempting not to entangle his legs with the female's and trip.

"What are you doing?" a voice in the darkness asked softly. A growl came as an answer, the Sixth finding himself annoyed with the Fourth's lack of help.

"What's it look like? We're walking," he grumbled as he felt his way along the wall for the door.

"…to where?" The only thing that told the Sexta that he had gone from the wall to the door was that his hand brushed over the hinge. Groping, he searched for the doorknob.

"To Aizen. He can deal with her, but I ain't working out this shit." As his hands clasped the knob, he went to turn it and open the door, but stopped. Listening intently, he could barely discern an eerie sound that seemed to chill the very air as it was hissed. It was as if the sound was carried on the wind, sending chills down Grimmjaw's spine and causing goosebumps to rise all over his body as he heard it.

"Ssssssssaaaaannnnnaaaaa" The sound faded in and out. The grip the woman had on his arm increased as she stiffened, not moving a muscle as she listened as if her life depended on it. For a moment or two, the Sexta also remained frozen, harkening, though not with the same fear or disconcert as the woman, but more that some great instinct prompted him to. He was sure he had heard it, however faint it may have been, but the very word, or whatever it was, had sounded too distant and too venomous to have come from the distressed female beside him. Shaking his head, he wrote it off as Ulquiorra muttering some disproving words too softly for him to have made them out.

Turning the knob, he pushed the door out to swing into the hallway. Like his room, the corridor was dark, though it was a few shades lighter than the pitch blackness that engulfed the Sexta's quarters. Since his eyes had become accustomed to the absolute darkness of his room, Grimmjaw found it easier to see in the hallway as he looked it up and down.

Leaning forward, he meant to step out into the passageway but was stopped by a sudden jerk on his arm. Stumbling back, he regained his balance before staring down at the anxious woman who continued to pull on his arm. She was trying to haul him back into the room as she tugged on his arm fruitlessly.

"Kana- kanatalura monte zeluda bent. Palay, palay," she pleaded, attempting to lead him back further into the room. The man just gawked at her irritably.

"What the hell is yar problem? Come on." Again he endeavored to drag her out into the corridor and again she endeavored to pull him back in. "I said, come on!" he snapped. Reaching over and grabbing the Misfit around the waist, he threw her over his shoulder. She began to ramble on in her mysterious language, sounding more distressed than angry. Grimmjaw just ignored her as he stepped out into the hallway.

"Ya coming?" he grunted over his unoccupied shoulder at the Cuarta, who inturn stepped through the threshold and stood silently next to the Sexta. The redhead continued to struggle as they began to walk, pounding on his back and kicking his front as he yelled an unholy ruckus. After turning down three different passages, Grimmjaw found he couldn't take it anymore.

"Will ya shut up!?" he barked at the woman as she pulled at his hair. Giving the teal locks another tug, she pointed back in the direction they had come from.

"Take back!" she demanded.

"No," he snapped back. Misfit continued to order that he take her back, kicking and hitting as she did. He managed to ignore it for the most part until one of her blows landed a little to close to his crotch for comfort.

"Will ya stop that!!" he shouted, reaching up and presenting her behind with a harsh squeeze. With a squeal, the woman froze, temporarily in shock at the man's action. Grimmjaw snorted, feeling slightly empowered at the fact that it had actually worked. "Well, looks like we finally found a way to shut ya up-Yoowwll!!!" With a start, he leapt five feet in the air, jumping six feet forward, dropping his passenger in the process. Ulquiorra stopped walking, watching the Sixth with empty gaze.

"What happened?" he asked monotonely.

"The damn bitch grabbed me!!" Grimmjaw snarled, rubbing his behind as he glared down at the woman.

Yes, it was true, Misfit had just grabbed the man's butt as revenge for grabbing her's. Glowering up at him from her spot on the floor, she smirked menacingly, muttering something victoriously as she got up and dusted herself off. Unfortunately for the Sexta, the woman's little stunt had not helped him in his task of forgetting about his arousal.

"She seems to have gotten back into her regular spirits," the Cuarta noted as he watched the two.

"Ssssssssaaaaaaaalllllllllllnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaa" Again Grimmjaw heard the distant hissing, only this time more clearly. Wearily, the Sixth looked anxiously back over his shoulder as if expecting something to be there, but the emptiness and the darkness of the hall were alone behind them. He knew now that the origin of the sound was neither Ulquiorra or the woman, for she had once more stiffened at the sound.

"Did you say something?" the Fourth asked naively.

"I think we should get moving." Grimmjaw didn't know what it was, but something was definitely giving him an uneasy feeling, like there was some intangible spirit compelling him to get moving. He wouldn't admit it at the moment, but something about the utter silence of the deserted hallway was creeping him out. Suspense filled the air as the three hurried their way through the labyrinth of twists and turns, the Sexta occasionally glancing back as if expecting something to be following them, but there was nothing there.

Misfit was again clinging to the Sixth's arm, eyes darting around nervously as she kept time with the brisk pace the man set. Even Ulquiorra felt that he too was beginning to sense something of an uneasy nature. Yet neither of the two Espadas was able to sense any trace of retsu other than the sleeping arrancars in the rooms surrounding them. It was just them in the hallway.

What Grimmjaw felt wasn't fear, but it was definitely something close to it mixed with a little confusion. What was this? Why was he so freaked out? He was the Sexta Espada; he wasn't afraid of anything. Yet still he found himself walking in hurried steps down the many twisting paths, no longer having a set destination, just trying to outrun the uneasiness that plagued him.

Suddenly, Ulquiorra stopped dead in his tracks. Turning to face him, Grimmjaw growled angrily, his expression irritable as the woman pulled on his arm, urging him forward.

"Come on. What the hell are ya waiting for?" The other just stared blankly into space.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear wh-"

"Ssssoooooeeelllllllluuuuuunnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaa" came the bone chilling hiss, though it now seemed to hold anger and a sort of predatory growl.

It was in front of them.

The two men scarcely had time to whip their heads around to stare into the unpiercable darkness before them before Misfit released the Sixth's arm. Grabbing both Grimmjaw and Ulquiorra's hands with her own, the woman began to run, nay, tear down the hall, dragging the two men behind her. The two Espadas stumbled along as they attempted to keep up with the woman, her grip on their hands unrelenting and painful.

"What the f*** is it we're even running from!?" Grimmjaw barked as he chanced a fleeting look back at the darkness they had come form, almost tripping in their haste.

"Maephias! Maephias! Maephias!" Misfit shrieked, turning her head just enough for the Sexta to see it in profile. She had that wild look of terror in her eyes again, tears pouring down her cheeks out of pure fear. She ran and ran, that being all the ravenous horror would permit her to do. A panic so controlling and absolute that it consumed her, it oppressed and stifled her as she attempted to outrun the limits of the limitless.

Regaining his footing as best he could, Grimmjaw pulled back on Misfit's hand, tackling her to the ground as she screeched out. The woman wrestled with him, squirming desperately as she tried to break free so as to run. Finally, he managed to pin her to the ground, though even this did not stop her from wriggling uncontrollably. Picking her wrists up, he slammed them back down on the floor, causing her to whimper in pain.

"Listen here, bitch, ya keep going on about 'maephias, maephias,' but I don't see anything. What the f*** is going on here!?!" he snarled, staring down at the woman with a determined and infuriated glare. He tightened his grip around the redhead's wrists as her gasps broke into a sobs, still fighting him for freedom.

"Fool!" she shot back harshly, causing the sternness of his gaze to falter. "Fool! No see! No see!" she shouted, shaking her head back and forth wildly, causing her hair to flail about.

"You mean we can't see it?" Ulquiorra puzzled as he leaned over the two, trying to make sense of the woman's ramblings. She gave a short nod, her struggling lessening as the Sexta applied more force to his hold.

"That's better, now we're getting somewhere. Tell us all ya know about this 'maephias' thing," Grimmjaw demanded, sitting up and releasing the woman as she grew calmer. Misfit opened her mouth as if to speak, but as she glanced behind the Sixth, her eyes widened beyond what was thought possible for normal humans. Yelling something franticly, she reached up to the teal haired man that still leaned over her. Wrapping her arms around the man's waist, she swiftly jerked him down to lay on top of her, pressing his body hard against her's.

Grimmjaw would have barked something back at the redhead, had it not been for the sudden sensation of something whooshing right over his head. Looking up, he managed to catch the tail end of some blurred object as it flew with uncanny speed into the darkness and out of sight.

"What the f*** was that!?!" the Sexta spat as he pushed himself up only to find Misfit still hanging on him. She was crying again, though this time it was not out of fear, but more out of desperation. Groaning, Grimmjaw sat himself up, the woman being pulled with him into a sitting position as well.

"Maephias… Maephias…" she whimpered, once more becoming vulnerable. With a gruff sigh, Grimmjaw wrapped his arms around the woman, rocking her gently as he attempted to sooth her as best he could. Ulquiorra drew his sword at the ready. They remained like that for a little while longer until the woman became calm enough to stand up.

"We must inform Aizen-sama of the intruder," Ulquiorra reminded. The Sexta nodded, leading the redhead forward after retrieving his previously discarded sword. Unsheathing it, he held it out in front of himself and the woman, the other Espada following.

"What do ya think it is?" The Sixth asked of the higher ranked.

"We'll find out soon enough. It's coming back." Grimmjaw froze as he too sensed the stealthily approaching… thing. Pulling Misfit close to him with his left arm, he brandished his sword with his right.

"Come out, maephias, we know ya're there. Just surrender before I kick yar ass!" Grimmjaw was tired, annoyed, and he was on an all too short fuse because of all the things this whatever it was had put him through. His threat would have more then shaken any ordinary man, if only that was what he was fighting.

"Sssooooeellluuunnnaaa," it repeated in that same predatory voice that sent shivers down all three of their spines. There was just something all powerful about its voice, like it was superior to them all and knew it, but not arrogant. It was like it was on a whole other level compared to them. The noble and defined way it spoke was like listening to a god.

"What the hell, didn't ya hear me!" the Sixth snapped, his anger growing at the creature's tone.

"What are you here for?" the Cuarta inquired calmly.

"Soeluna," it repeated, this time not drawing the word out as it again ignored the Espada's question. "Tried thee have been, and guilty thee were found. Murder of thy kin, abandonment of thy post, and disbandment of that which God created be the charge. Punishment… deletion."

"Tashy ma," Misfit pleaded, tears again streaming as they overflowed from her glistening scarlet orbs. "taushi cona tola pru! netu zela monre cela bliten! Getta mally llopta neze, cally de! Cally de!" She sobbed, her whole body trembling in desperation. Grimmjaw looked down in confusion at the redhead, not sure what to make of the scene. She had been so terrified of this unseen monster and now she was just standing around having a conversation with it.

"Thee dares to revert back to the holy tongue!? Blasphemy!! Yet another sin which thee can never atone for. Now, Ivesoelunabonmalsentipathmisothe, daughter of the sun and moon, third warrior of heaven and child of God, thy punishment is nigh!" They saw it now, a vague glimmer in the darkness about thirty yards ahead of them, just a brief flash of light against steel. Grimmjaw hugged Misfit to his body as he prepared for the creature to attack, but it didn't, not yet anyway.

As the thing came forward into the light, it permitted the two Espadas to see just what they were up against. The long sword glistened in the dim light of the corridor, its steel pure and unblemished by scratches or dents. Its shape was powerful and its form fluid. Its center was an inch think but pulled out to be paper thin at the edges. What would be considered the bottom edge of the blade was wave shaped to resemble water, the top like thousands of various sizes of steal flames. It was the strangest thing either man had ever seen. The sword was odd, but somehow balanced.

They would have marveled over the sword longer had they not looked at the hilt. No hand. There was no hand, no arm, no person holding the sword; nothing was there.

"What the f***!!" Grimmjaw yelled in surprise. A wind began to pick up around the floating blade, swirling and whirling around it as if a tornado was forming. Misfit suddenly clutched at the Sexta's bare chest, tears still falling as she tried to warn him.

"Grimm-kitty! Talu coma! Talu coma!!" But it was too late. Before either Espada could even turn to look at the redhead, the sword shot at them like a bullet from a gun. Grimmjaw barely had time to raise his sword before the thing was upon him. With the harsh clashing sound of metal, the strange sword and his became locked, forcing him to slide back, Misfit still in hand. It slid him thirty feet before he was forced to let go of the woman in order to place both hands on his sword to combat the might of his assailant.

Digging his feet into the ground, he attempted to arrest his movement, the friction of the sliding burning the soles of his feet. Reaching up, Misfit took his sword in hand as well, using all her strength to help the Espada. With their combined strength, they slowed and stopped, her contribution being just enough to stay the beast. Grimmjaw looked down at her in slight surprise, but then when his gaze returned to the sword, a smirk grew across his face. Leaning down so his mouth was next to the woman's ear, he whispered to her arrogantly.

"Let go." Misfit looked at him in shock, but quickly understood. Giving a nod, she swiftly drew her hands back, ducking as the Sexta swung out with his sword, sending his enemy flying, though it quickly returned. As the thing came charging back the Sixth drew back for an attack, but the sword was faster. With one swing, it sent Grimmjaw flying into the wall, however it did not pursue him. Instead, it turned its sharp edge towards the wide eyed redhead.

Wasting no time, the thing lashed out at her. She managed to dodge the front of its attack, but it still landed a hit on her arm, cutting a sizable gash in it. She cried out in pain, clutching her wound as blood began to trickle down her arm. As the sword swooped in for another attack, it was Ulquiorra that protected her this time.

"I can not allow you to hurt Aizen-sama's prisoner," he stated emotionlessly, but he too was soon thrown by the immeasurable strength of the enemy. Misfit managed to dodge a few more of the sword's blows while only obtaining minor injuries. However, she was just evading blindly, whereas her assailant had a plan.

She soon found her back against the wall. She was cornered, nowhere to hide, nowhere to run, no one to help her. It slashed at her stomach, cutting a deep gash as it came back around and sliced along her collar bone. Misfit screamed out in pain, yelling what sounded like slurred pleas for mercy as she sobbed and trembled. This was so unlike her, this fear, but something about this creature brought a sense of helplessness to her, a deep pain that felt like a weight on her heart, but mostly, it brought guilt.

Next it cut her leg, toying with her before it finished her. She didn't even feel the pain anymore; the pure terror was overshadowing it. As the sword came flying down for the final blow, she put her arms up in a desperate attempt to shield herself. This was the end. There was no escaping death; she had eluded it this long, but no more. Bam!

A shock of pain went through her body as she tumbled across the floor. She kept her eyes closed for several moments, still expecting the sharp blade to sink into her flesh, but it never did. She finally opened her eyes as she felt that two strong arms were wrapped around her, a sturdy body pressed against her's as it lay with her on the floor. Slowly, cautiously, she opened her eyes, black hair hung down around her face as she looked up at her savior.

"Mont…" she stated in a small disbelieving voice.

"Well, I couldn't just let a pretty thing like ya die now, could I?" he snickered, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

There Halibel stood, up against the wall, holding off the sword that would have struck Misfit. Nnoitra lay on ground over the redhead protectively. He had jumped and tackled her out of harm's way. As the sword pushed off of Halibel, it turned to face the redhead and her protector.

"Thee hath consorted with these evils. Have thee no pride, no shame, Soeluna?" the creature spoke, bitterness filling its tone.

"Holly f***! It talks!?" Nnoitra exclaimed as he helped the redhead up to her feet.

As more arrancars and Espadas began to show up due to the commotion, the enemy began to retreat.

"Chosen thy company well, thee have," it mused tauntingly. "Thee hath managed to outrun justice this long, but thee will get tired and the weary make mistakes. That time will come for thee, and I will be there, and finish this I shall." With that, the sword disappeared into the darkness, several lower ranked arrancars running after it.

Rubbing his head, Grimmjaw grumbled as he stood up from where he had crashed into the wall. His shoulder was killing him and his head was bleeding, but other than that his only wounds were a few scrapes and bruises. Walking over to the redhead, he gazed off in the direction in which the creature had disappeared. Without even bothering to turn to the Sixth, Nnoitra asked in a somewhat bewildered manner, "What the hell was that?"

"Maephias…" he replied as if through a haze. Nnoitra looked at him with a confused expression, but Grimmjaw just shook his head in a way that said he would explain later. Glancing at the redhead that stood motionless in front of him, he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. She felt cold.

"Oi, ya ok?" he asked, leaning forward to try and get a glimpse of her face. Misfit shook, once, twice, then fell to the ground in a crumpled heap of sobs and tears. Nnoitra stared wide eyed in utter shock. Grimmjaw, however, had become accustomed to this side of the woman through the course of the night and wasn't really affected.

The four Espadas watched as she cried like a little child, her whole body trembling softly as she wept into her hands. Without saying a word, Halibel walked over and sat down next to her, wrapping her arms around her comfortingly. Misfit leaned into her, weeping and sobbing as she let it all out, all the pain, all the lies, all the secrets and torments that she had kept locked up for so long. She cried them all out, let her tears wash them away as Halibel rocked her gently, petting her hair soothingly.

Grimmjaw just rolled his eyes at the scene as Nnoitra leaned over to pat the redhead's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Walking away from the scene, the Sixth picked up his sword's casing, sheathing it before tying it to the blanket that served as clothes. It wouldn't be long before the other Espadas, along with Aizen, Gin, and Tosen showed up, and of course, they would want answers beyond 'we were attacked by a floating sword'.

Glancing down at the ground, a dark spot on the white floor caught his attention. It was partially shrouded in shadows so its shape wasn't the easiest to make out. _What the hell?_ the Sexta thought as he bent over to pick whatever it was up.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Aizen had had all the Espadas plus Misfit gather in the meeting room so as to try and decipher just what was going on. Many of the Espadas remained standing while Misfit occupied Grimmjaw's chair. Someone had been kind enough to find her a blanket, Aizen had brought her a warm cup of tea, yet presently she could neither drink nor speak. All she did was stare blankly at the table, weariness consuming her features.

She couldn't have wept even if she had wanted to; her tears were all spent, gone. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her throat was raw and sore from all the screaming and crying, something she hadn't done in a long, long, long time. A grey haze overcame her as if the world around her was a dream, or nightmare. The blanket was wrapped tight around her, but she couldn't feel it there, couldn't feel its warmth, its comfort. She couldn't feel anything, just numbness- absolute and complete consuming numbness. She was tired, worn, more so than ever before.

Stark offered her a pillow he had brought with him, one which she gratefully accepted. Leaning forward, she rested her head on the soft cushion, closing her eyes as the whole ordeal drained her of any energy she might have had. Aizen watched her intently as her breathing became soft and her body slumped. He wanted to make sure she was asleep during this meeting, so as not to upset the already distraught woman further. When at last she was as asleep as she could get in her condition, which was more of a fuzzy half-conscioysness than anything, he spoke.

"What happened?" It was said slowly, but the strong brunette put a powerful emphasis on both words that properly showed the seriousness of the situation. Grimmjaw, who was standing behind the comatose redhead, snorted as he leaned against the chair in front of him.

"We were attacked by a floating sword," he informed sarcastically. Aizen looked at him blankly for a moment or two, before pinching the bridge of his nose.

"huh, why am I not surprised you are already my first suspect, Sexta?" the brunette asked rhetorically. The Sixth's hands clenched into fists, a deep growl sounding from the back of his throat.

"I ain't lying, damn it!" he snapped.

"Excuse me, Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra interrupted, stepping forward to make his presence known. "But I saw our attacker and it was indeed a self-wielded sword, or something of that form."

"I saw it, too," Nnoitra piped up, Halibel nodding in agreement. The brunette ex-shinigami took all of their testimonies into consideration.

"Hmm, I see. So you all saw this… free floating sword? And it attacked you?" he questioned incredulously.

"Well, no, actually," the Fifth admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, "Ya see, it didn't attack us. It was attacking Misfit," he told truthfully.

"Now that you mention it, it was only going after her from the start," Ulquiorra added.

"Wait a minuet! When we first saw it, it attacked me. Doesn't that count!?" the Sixth retorted angrily at the smaller Espada, baring his teeth at the Cuarta.

"It only went after you because the woman was with you. As soon as you let go of her, it took care of you, with ease, and went after her," Ulquiorra informed.

"Hey! It knocked ya out with one swing! Remember that?!" Grimmjaw barked back angrily.

"Shhhh," Szayel hissed. "Your going to wake her," he reminded, motioning towards the sleeping figure in front of the Sexta. Everyone immediately got quiet, checking to make sure the female was still in her dazed half-slumbering state before carrying on.

"Anyway, you said that it attacked you three. What exactly were the three of you doing together? Maybe that instigated the attack," Aizen asked of the two Espadas that had originally been with Misfit.

"I went down to the Sexta's room, just as you ordered, to inquire on Misfit's progress." Ulquiorra explained.

"Are ya sure that's all yas was doing?" Nnoitra snickered as he surveyed the Sixth's makeshift clothes.

"Why are you dressed in such… scandalous apparel?" Aizen asked, taking time to choose his words.

"I always sleep naked. So what! Ya wanna make a fight of it!?" Grimmjaw retorted haughtily, feeling like everyone was just picking on him that night.

"So you decided to go walking down the halls like this?" Aizen asked incredulously, opting to ignore the Sexta's remark, for the time being.

"No! All the sudden she just fell out of this hole thing that appeared in the middle of the room and started freaking out. What else was I supposed to do!?" he demanded irritably. Taking in this new bit of information, Aizen turned to Ulquiorra.

"And were you in the room with him when this happened?"

"Yes, I was, Aizen-sama," the Cuarta replied with a respectful bow of his head. He decided, for the moment, not to mention the Sexta's little dream, figuring it had no value to the current situation. He was right about that. "I believe she might have had a run in with the thing before hand and attempted to open a portal to her room, but in her panic, accidently brought herself to Sexta's room, his being the one right next to hers."

"That would explain why she would suddenly appear in his room in such hysteria," Aizen agreed. By now they had all become accustomed to the occasional discovery of one of Misfit's strange yet intriguing abilities.

"She called it maephias, the floating sword, I mean," Grimmjaw added as that fact popped into his head suddenly.

The redhead gently stirred from her insensate condition, sitting back in her chair as she groggily glanced up at the people that surrounded her. With a start she jerked back, looking around at everyone as she tried to remember what she was doing there, then it came to her. Groaning, she laid her head back down, though she still seemed to be alert and attentive.

"Oi, come on, wake up," Grimmjaw nagged, giving the woman's shoulder a rough shake. She gave a despairing sigh, knowing the Sexta wouldn't stop until she was completely awake and paying attention. Misfit rested her back against the back of the chair as she slouched in her seat, hands lying purposelessly in her lap as she gazed emptily at them.

She endeavored to swallow her anxiety and fear to regain her composure, though everyone could tell she was visibly shaken. Gin walked over to her and kneeling, took her hand in his. He gave a light squeeze and offered her a comforting smile. She replied with a feeble one, but still, she did feel a little better with him there beside her.

"Excuse me, Misfit," Aizen stated softly, but at the same time firmly with purpose. "Would you mind too terribly if I asked you a few questions about what occurred earlier this night?" He was rather polite in the way he asked, completely sympathetic towards the redhead's situation. She looked all around the room at the many inquisitive faces that met her, watching them as if they held the answer to the brunette's question.

"Lizzen carefully, li'l desert rose…" Gin breathed softly, his voice soothing and gentle as he leaned in to cup the woman's cheek. "I need ya ta tell us all ya know about thiz maephias thin'," he informed with a serious tone. Misfit bit her lip, but otherwise followed the silver foxs orders without any sign of disobedience.

"He is… strong, very, very, strong. Top male warrior of Bala," she informed, her eyes hazed over as if searching though memories. "Is… loyal, yes very loyal. Believes Manu's way is only way. Wise and cunning, great at strategy. Self-righteous, good at combat… um… how say? Sneaky? And…" she stopped, snapping out of her haze as she cringed at whatever had crossed her mind.

"And?" Gin urged, taking the woman's hand in encouragement.

"And…Maephias… Soeluna's brother," she mumbled softly.

"Soeluna? Who the hell is Soeluna?!" Yami questioned irritably.

"Come to think of it, that Maephias thing kept saying that as well. Something about Soeluna paying for her crimes," Ulquiorra recalled blandly. Grimmjaw just looked at them all quizzically.

"Didn't she tell ya?!" he asked bluntly.

"Tell us what?" Gin retorted, his intrigue aroused, though he knew what was coming.

"Soeluna, that's her name," the Sixth stated matter-of-factly as he gestured to the redhead who sat there innocently.

"Well, actually…" she half-mumbled, half-declared. "it's Ivesoelunabonmalsentipathmisothe, but people call me Soeluna for short," she said shyly, almost as if talking about it was embarrassing.

"Wait a minute," Nnoitra shouted, turning to glare at the Sexta. "Ya knew she had a name and ya didn't tell us!?"

"Hey! She only told me it a few days ago!" Grimmjaw shot back defensively.

"If she is Soeluna… then wouldn't that make that floating sword thing that you said attacked you her brother?" Stark pointed out, one brow raised questioningly. Everyone stopped, blinking for a moment as they thought about it.

"Oh my Aizen!! Ya mean that thing was related to her!?" Nnoitra spat in disgust.

"Hold on, if that thing was her brother, why the hell was it trying to kill her?" Yami retorted incredulously.

"I think we can all agree that that was the thing that inflicted the wounds we first found her with so many months ago, but Decimo is correct. Now we must ask why?" Aizen declared, making everyone turn to Misfit with a quizzical gaze. Folding her arms, she hugged her body tight, pulling the blanket around her as she looking down at the table with the most remorseful look ever devised by womankind. For several minutes she was silent, biting her lower lip to the point where it bled. Sitting there, she struggled for words, fighting back tears and choking down sobs. Giving a heavy sigh, Grimmjaw placed a hand on her shoulder, causing the woman to jump slightly. He couldn't stand it, this was just pathetic.

"Listen, ya don't have ta tell us if ya don't feel ya can," he informed her nonchalantly. She gave a quiet nod of her head as she placed her hand on his.

"The Sexta is right," Aizen chirped in agreement. "You do not have to speak of anything you are not ready to. However, my dear, there is one thing I would like to ask, if I may." Fluidly, he came to the woman's side as Gin moved away to give their leader room. Kneeling down on one knee, he was at eye level with the redhead. "We have all seen what you are capable of, even if it was just a smidgen of your powers." The redhead nodded in agreement to this. "Then why didn't you fight it? Surely you could have at least fended it off. Was it because the creature was your brother at one point." To this, she shook her head despairingly.

"No," she stated so bluntly, so openly, that Aizen faltered for a response, but she gave him no time to think of one. "He has…embodied my sword. My powers… don't work against it." Her words were hollow and empty, probably an effort at masking the pain she felt inside. Grimmjaw could feel her tighten the grip she had on his hand, causing him to furrow his brows.

"All right then. It is evident we can not take any chances with this Maephias fellow. Therefore, I want an Espada standing guard with her at all times. Grimmjaw, you will have the obvious task of watching over her through the course of the day. And I mean all day. Is that understood?" His tone was more of an order than a question, but the Sexta snorted a "yeah, whatever" anyway. "Excellent. The rest of you will guard her in rotating nightly shifts. Halibel, you are to watch over her tonight. Being that you are a woman, your presence may be of some comfort to her." The Third gave a short nod in agreement with her leader's statement.

With that, their leader offered the redhead a few comforting words, a kiss on the forehead, and dismissed them all from the meeting. As he told the rest of the remaining Espadas that he would construct the schedule for the night shifts and tell them when they were to be on duty the next day, Halibel, Grimmjaw and Soeluna slipped out the door.

They walked down the hall in silence, never exchanging words or glances. Misfit, or rather, Soeluna, shuffled along, staring at the approaching floor as she walked beside the taller man, the blanket still draped over her shoulders. Halibel was at least three strides ahead of them. She tended to be a fast walker and would every now and then stop and wait for them to catch up.

Something kept plaguing Soeluna's mind, words she wanted to say, but didn't know how. As usual, her pride was getting in the way. So the words went unspoken, an awkward silence taking their place.

Grimmjaw trudged down the hall, too tired to think, let alone talk. His little 'problem' was now gone; he hadn't notice at the time, but he speculated it must have been during the fight. Crossing his arms, he was brought from his thoughts as he felt that he held something inside of his fist. Opening his hand, he looked at the small object, unable to recall where he had gotten it at first. However, when he remembered, he turned to his female companion, holding it out to her.

"This yars?" he asked uninterestedly. The woman looked at him with a puzzled expression, but as her gaze fell upon the object he held, scarlet orbs lit up.

It was a small stone, no larger than the man's pinky finger. It was as thin as a pencil and had a slight bow in its shape, a rusty brown colored stone that wasn't smooth but was in no way jagged. Unpolished and dented, it had a mysterious natural beauty about it that made it rather intriguing to look at, enticing even.

Despite her exhaust state, the woman jumped at the sight and snatched the stone from the man. She hugged it tightly to her bosom, rambling things in her native tongue which the man could not distinguish. The woman danced around for joy, never minding Grimmjaw's mistrustful stare as he watched the strange sight. Whirling around to face him, she grew a huge smile that shone brighter then the moon.

"Thank you." The two words that she could not bring herself to say earlier came in a rush as her eyes filled with joy. In her state of jubilation, she even went as far as to do something she ordinarily would never even have thought of doing. She hugged him. A genuine, honest, thankful hug that took the Sexta by complete surprise as she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed.

"Oi? What's wrong with ya? Stop with the mushy stuff and get off me!" Grimmjaw protested as he endeavored to push the enthusiastic woman off of him. Upon succeeding, the redhead just smiled at him, thanking him again before attempting to catch up with Halibel. The Sixth watched as she left, completely confused by the humming and the certain skip her stride had acquired.

She had never thanked him before for anything, let alone hugged him. What the hell was that strange rock? What was so special about it that she would go completely bonkers?! Grumbling to himself, the Espada just shook his head, concluding that he would never understand this woman, and knowing his luck, would probably be stuck with her forever.

Resuming his stride, he walked down to his room, opting to collapse in his bed and sleep until he either died or got hungry.

_Just so you know, Bala means Heaven in Rulchi, and Manu means God. There it is. Wasn't that fun? Did ya read it in the dark? Wasn't it scary? Spooky, spooky. Yeah, I know, not really. Please, please, please review. I would really appreciate some feedback on this chapter. I'm especiouly proud of I,t you see, and your commentary is very valuable to me. Sorry if I'm nagging, but I'm trying to beg (yeah, I'm not good at it). Thanks for reading._


	8. Water Witch

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning: **Grimmy's language is pretty bad this chapter, so watch out.

_Sorry this chapter took so long. I've had a very busy schedule and then my laptop started doing weird things. It was a mess. I will try to get the next chapter out faster. Sorry for keeping you waiting. _

_Sorry, this chapter might have a few spelling and grammatical errors. One of my beta's was being, well, incompetent. I try to schedule my writing in a way that would be good for my betas, and doesn't put to much stress on them, but at the same time I ask that it be done at a certain time, so I don't keep my readers waiting too long. This one, however, ignored the deadline, and has repeatedly forced me to publish a chapter late. I'd confront her on it and she'd just make excuses and promise she'd have the next one done on time. A promise she never kept. Sorry, I'm kinda lamenting on you guys, I apologize, I just can't stand someone who makes promises that they never plan to keep. She's actually the reason this chapter is so late, but don't worry, I'm getting rid of her. I need someone who is serious about this. Sorry, -bows- I'll shut up now._

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach, 'cause if I did, Grimmjaw would have killed Ichigo by now, or Hichigo would have taken over.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx  
I could be mean,  
I could be angry,  
You know I could be just like you.  
-Just like you, by Three Days Grace-  
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 8. Water Witch

It had been four days since the incident with Maephias, and so far all had done well to guard the young redhead. Even Grimmjaw was doing a good job protecting and watching over Soeluna. His dreams had slowly tapered away over the course of the four days after the incident. He was glad to see them go. It was really starting to get annoying. The stone he had found was now being warn around the woman's neck, hanging form the ribbon Gin had given her.

Most of the Espadas by now were on good terms with the woman and could often be found passing the time with her in the library or training room. At the moment, it was Grimmjaw along with a set two of his fraccions, Ilfort and D-Roy, that accompanied Soeluna as she mused about the various books and things in the library.

It was swelteringly hot that day, so much so that Ilfort had opened his shirt while D-Roy had taken his completely off. Soeluna had unbuttoned her top as far as she could without revealing too much, which still wasn't enough for the fraccions' liking. It had been a bit over two hours since lunch, and Grimmjaw was just holding out until dinner, when he could finally get rid of the woman.

Since the occurrence, Aizen had made it a point to have every lunch and dinner with the woman, enjoying deep and frivolous chats in an endeavor to better get to know her. She was a pleasant conversationalist, this was undoubted. The things she spoke of, the way she could find some great meaning in even the smallest and most trivial of things, it was enchanting.

From the enthralling and captivating way she spoke, every word laced with passion and wonder, the man could not help but succumb to the tantalizing brilliance that was her mind. The fanciful and unhindered way in which she came to thoughts, her pure openness to the world, as if she was waiting for it to paint itself upon her. The woman never faltered for a witty remark or a deeply philosophical idea. She tickled his mind with a delightful opium of wondrous proposals. She seemed to find all things beautiful even within the darkest corners of the immoral and unethical slums of today's society.

She brought out the wonder and the majesty of even the most common of objects. Her purity and innocence astonished him at times, the way she could look at all as equals, ho she could see the crimes men had committed, understand their reason, and forgive them with an unhesitant love. Yet despite it all, she remained strong. Like a light house, perched upon the rocks to guide sailors to safe harbor in calm or violent seas, that is what she reminded Aizen of. The way she stood up for the weak and would defend any who needed it. Her flaws were apparent, but the good in her far outshined that which man would consider unbecoming.

Aizen spoke to her of many things, often times unrelated, their conversations going whatever found way the wind blew and changing just as rapidly. Yet one thing the ex-shinigami intriguing was that the woman would always drop hints about her past, places, names, the occasional event, yet whenever the topic was brought up directly, it was most thoroughly avoided by the young woman. Also, the way she spoke of it in passing, with a most forlorn detachment, gave the man the impression that it was like some old date in a history book, nothing more than a number.

Aizen was beginning to find that he saw the woman as more than just a tool to be used in war; she was a companion, a consultant, a friend. Soeluna seemed to also view him with a sort of warmth and affection, though she would seldom hint at it, she tended to be more reserved when it came to those sorts of feelings.

However, at the moment she was stuck with the Sexta and his lackeys, who she personally found to be more pleasant and agreeable than the Espada. The windows were open, the breeze was blowing, and the heat just kept getting worse.

"Damn," Grimmjaw cursed, fanning himself with a few pages he had torn out of a book. "Ya'd think Aizen could afford some f***ing air conditioning." No one was doing anything other than laying around. It was too boring doing nothing and too stifling to do anything. D-Roy panted lightly, holding what was supposed to be a cold drink to his forehead.

"Its so hot Aizen-sama probably can't even tell if his tea is warm or not," Ilfort mused with a sort of drained humor. Soeluna looked at them for a moment, before closing her eyes and laying her head back against her chair.

"These f***ing uniforms don't even breath," the Espada grumbled as he pulled at his shirt, revealing his perfectly sculpted torso. The worse the heat got, the worse his language was, and consequently, the smaller his vocabulary got.

"Its so hot," D-Roy whimpered, lacking the energy to do anything else.

"What kind of f***ing idiot builds his fort in the middle of a f***ing dessert!?" the Sexta snapped, combing a few free strands of hair out of his face with his hand.

"Maybe he figured the enemy would die of heat stroke before they even reached us." Ilfort suggested.

"Then we wouldn't get to fight them. Where's the fun in that?" Grimmjaw growled, not even bothering to look up at his blond fraccion.

"It was just a thought," he muttered dejectedly.

"A stupid one," the Espada griped.

"Come on boss. It's too hot to fight," D-Roy whimpered. The Sixth just growled something as a response, hugging his body as he looked up at the clock.

"That damn thing must be broken. It can't only be 3:09."

"Maybe we should go find Ulquiorra," Ilfort chuckled with a lack of energy. "His blood is ice cold. I'm sure bathing in it would cool us down."

"If only. That little prick is off on a mission for Aizen in the human world. The damn fag doesn't have to deal with this heat." Grimmjaw grumbled, drawing his legs up as he sat.

"That explains a lot. He's so cold. Aizen-sama must have created him to be the cooling system for Los Noches," the blond smiled, drawing his shirt closed as he leaned against a book shelf.

"That's all he would be good for," the Sixth complained, a slight tremor overtaking his form. He stopped, concentrating on the things his body was trying to tell him as a slight realization dawned on him. Hugging himself tighter, he shivered at the frigid air that tickled his skin.

"What the hell!? Did it just get really cold in here!?" he rasped, the cold air that was sucked into his lungs hurting his throat. Shivering again, he looked up to see D-Roy and Ilfort staring wide eyed at him. They two were shaking from the cold, but they seemed to distracted by what they were staring at to notice. "What the hell is yar problem!?" the Sixth snapped, glaring at them bitterly. They said nothing.

Instead, Ilfort raised a hand so that a solitary finger could point over the Sexta's shoulder. He had been mistaken, they were not staring at him, but rather at something behind him. Their eyes were wide and Grimmjaw could see the breath that was expelled from their partially agape mouths, the temperature had dropped that much.

Turning his upper torso, teal eyes looked back to see just what his fraccions were so amazed by. His mouth dropped. There she stood, her long red hair down for once, a rare sight to behold indeed. A gentle smile graced her lips, warming the two fraccions hearts at the sight of its delicate beauty. Her hand was extended as a small pile of glistening whiteness collected in it, showing brightly against the black glove. Scarlet orbs seemed to sparkle as they watched the dancing white crystals as they fell to the floor.

Snow was falling from the air, appearing from nowhere and accumulating in heaps about the floor. This only seemed to occur, however, within a two meter radius around Soeluna. The frozen flakes clung to her hair and to her clothes, but she did not appear to be affected by the cold that the unnatural occurrence had brought to the air. Instead, she seemed to be enjoying herself. The white dots continued to float down lightly as the windows began to frost over.

Soeluna squatted down in the soft snow and, taking handfuls of it, began to mold it. Where she sat, she began to form several small snowmen that looked like angels. D-Roy and Ilfort walked past Grimmjaw to join the woman on the snow covered ground.

They didn't act at all surprised by this strange occurrence. Instead, they just accepted it and took advantage of it.

"What the f*** is this!?" Grimmjaw barked angrily.

"It's her powers," D-Roy stated, pointing out the obvious.

"I can see that, but what the hell is she doing using it here!?" Just then a soft snowball hit him in the face.

"Come on, don't be a spoilsport," Ilfort taunted, tossing another snowball up in the air and catching it as it came back down.

"Why ya!" Grimmjaw growled, putting his hand on his sword. Plop.

Ilfort stumbled back, slipping in the snow and falling backwards. The redhead giggled at the blond man's expression as he wiped the remains of the snowball off his handsome face. Scooping up more snow, she patted it into a ball, then smiled at the Sixth before throwing it at him. He dodged it with ease, making the woman frown.

"You're no fun," she huffed in an almost pouting way.

"Neither are ya," Grimmjaw retorted, giving the woman a sarcastic glance before another snowball hit him behind the ear. The Sixth hadn't seen this one coming so his reaction was rather comical to behold.

Clasping the back of his neck, he shivered as some of the icy liquids slid down the collar of his shirt, chilling his warm skin. Shaking his shoulders, he did his best to rid himself of the slush, unable to completely free himself of the cold feeling on his back. Turning to glare in the direction the snowball had come from, his anger quickly rose as his eyes came to a giggling D-Roy.

"Couldn't help it, boss. Ya left yaself wide open." The smaller fraccion laughed harder, Soeluna and Ilfort joining in as they chuckled at Grimmjaw's expression. The Espada felt the anger rising in him, indignant at being mocked.

"Son of a bitch," he barked, hastily scooping up some snow, he sloppily molded it into a ball-ish shape, then flung it at the others. D-Roy's face got the force of the blow, causing Ilfort and Soeluna to laugh harder. The smaller fraccion smiled through the snow before throwing a snowball at Soeluna.

She ducked, causing the blond arrancar behind her to receive the hit instead. The redhead grabbed her sides as she laughed so hard it hurt. Her gasping laughter stopped, however, when the Sexta nailed her in the back of the neck with a particularly big snowball. Grimmjaw's booming laughter could be heard as the woman fell forward into the cold snow, squealing slightly in surprise.

Looking up, she gave D-Roy an evil grin, the man responding with a short nod, his visage also growing a malevolent sneer. Rolling onto her back, Soeluna began to fling snow at the Sixth, D-Roy pelting him with it from behind. After that, a full blown war ensued.

Ilfort and Grimmjaw hid behind tables, while D-Roy and Soeluna took shelter behind the book shelves. A good time was had by all as they each gave it their all. This went on for the better part of an hour, time lost like sand in the wind, something that was known to happen when fun was involved.

As was to be expected, the time finally came where each party was too drained to continue, causing them to collapse wearily into the snow banks. Despite the cold temperature, they were all hot and sweaty from exertion and the snow felt good on their skin. It cushioned their exhausted bodies, sheltering them as they panted laboriously.

Grimmjaw could feel the numbness in his fingertips growing, but he didn't care. Smirking victoriously, he limply raised one fist in the air as he closed his eyes.

"We win," he announced in a victorious huff between pants. Soeluna just rolled her eyes, too tired to make a retort. D-Roy smirked, recognizing this as typical behavior from his superior. Ilfort just chuckled, tossing his head to the side to cast his bangs from his face. Their breath turned to mist as they exhaled heavily, still worn out from the battle. Soeluna curled up in the snow, closing her eyes as she contemplated taking a nap.

The four arrancars remained like that for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of not having to move at all as they regained their strength and their breath. None of them knew how much time passed before one of them finally moved from their comfy spots, but it was Soeluna who was first to get up. Rising slowly, she trudged over to the table and, pulling out a chair, sat down at it. D-Roy was next, rolling over to crawl along the floor till he got to where the woman sat. Instead of taking a seat like the redhead, the smaller fraccion just propped himself up against the table legs, leaning his head back as he closed his eyes.

Ilfort sighed, pulling himself up into a sitting position so he could watch the two others. Glancing over, he noticed that his superior was still lying in the cold snow. By now he was breathing normally and had cooled down considerably, even to the point where he was shivering; he was just too lazy to get up. His teal eyes stared up at the ceiling, his expression torqued into a slight scowl, as usual. The blond just shook his head, returning his gaze to the woman.

She was now playing innocently with a random pile of snow that had accumulated on the table, twirling her finger around it so it made random swirls on its surface. Hoisting himself up, Ilfort sauntered over to the redhead, watching her as she entertained herself.

He heard a soft noise come from behind him and knew that Grimmjaw was watching the woman as well from his spot on the floor. He had just lifted his head enough that he could observe Soeluna. Moving slightly to give the Sixth a better view of what the woman was doing, the blond rested against the table for support as he studied the woman's actions. D-Roy was also surveying her with curious eyes, though his was a more infatuated sort of scrutiny than inquiring. His head was held just high enough so that his eyes were level with the table's surface.

She continued to do pretty much nothing for a few minutes, until suddenly she stopped. Leaning back in her seat, she recoiled her hand, bringing it to gently clasp the stone that hung from her necklace. Staring at the snow with a hard but thoughtful gaze, her lips gave a slight twitch, as if to smile, before she went back to her work.

Something about the way she was acting was simply captivating to the two fraccions that watched. They found themselves leaning in, as if taken by some unspoken spell that bound their eyes to the woman's lithe hands and gracious face as she went about her work. They felt something inside of them wanted more, was asking for more, more of the woman's mysterious beauty, more of the sadness that lingered in those scarlet orbs. More of all that is Soeluna and the simplicity and eccentricities that made her up, that was what they sought.

Twirling her finger around the pile of snow, it instantly melted, then swirling up, it began to twist, branching out and freezing as it did. The men watched in awe, the spectacular feat as the water formed its delicate shape before freezing solid. Their eyes grew wide at the magical sight, the unnatural beauty shocking and bewildering them as they watched something they had never seen before. The crystal sparkled and shimmered as the light gleamed down on its chiseled form, carved to such precision it seemed that it might some to life at any moment.

They could not help but stare, for what else were they to do when faced with a feat such as this. Even Grimmjaw was leaning on his elbows as he strained to get a better view of Soeluna's creation. They had seen many strange powers before and had become quite accustomed to the oddity of them. Yet something about this power of hers, even as simple and bare as it was, seemed to strike a cord in their hearts that had been untouched for so long.

They were taken by awe and wonder, deep down feeling great respect for her for some unknown reason. They just seemed to sense that whatever this was, it was bigger than them and far more than they could imagine. All felt this, save Grimmjaw. He alone was not taken by admiration or amazement. Instead, he felt irritated that his fraccions were giving the woman so much undeserved attention.

It was a small figurine of an angel that she had formed from the snow. The holy woman's arms stretched out as is so often depicted of their kind, the sleeves of her robes coming down to hang from her thin wrists. Her hair fell in luscious waves as it lined her back, her bangs pulled over the headband that went around her head and tied into a braid in the back. The angel's face was smooth, her features gentle and yielding as her expression remained gracious and accepting, yet a little sadness and remorse seemed to linger in her eyes.

A sword was sheathed at her side, secured to a belt that hung loosely on her hips. She had a womanly body, well proportioned and lithe, yet laced with a strong passion that gave her a sturdy appearance. Her robes were loose and gave hints at the holy woman's figure, but never told the whole story.

The male arrancars marveled at the intricate detail and the unblemished perfection of her work. It was beautiful. Reaching out, Ilfort took the statue in his hands as he studied it.

"Careful. It'll melt," D-Roy reminded, moving to lean as best he could over the taller man's shoulder to get a better look at Soeluna's work. Ilfort opened his mouth to make a reply, but stopped as his eyes darted back to the statue. His brows furrowed as he studied it incredulously.

"No, it won't," he stated softly after a long silence, sounding as if he wasn't completely sure of himself.

"Yeah, it will, it's ice," the younger fraccion corrected, watching the blond with a slightly irked expression.

"No, it won't," he repeated, this time more sure of himself. "It's not ice."

"Of course it's ice. We saw her freeze the damn thing just now. It was water, now its ice. What else would it be?" Grimmjaw said with a snort.

"I don't know what it is, but it's not ice. It's not cold." Holding the statue out to the other fraccion, Ilfort's expression was determined, the hardened look in his eyes saying he knew he was right, no matter how illogical it may have sounded.

Snatching the statue up, D-Roy pawed it roughly, staring at it fixedly. However, as he studied it, his eyes widened, his mouth parting slightly as he paused in his investigation of the object.

"He's right. It ain't cold," he shouted in astonishment, jerking his head up to look at the redhead in bewilderment.

"Let me see that." Grimmjaw growled, pulling himself up to a standing position and seizing the angel from his fraccion.

It was indeed as smooth to the touch as it was to the eyes. It glistened as the Sixth studied it carefully. Every appearance, its texture, its coloring, the way the shadows formed, even how the light and colors shone through it were so perfect as to resemble ice that it was no wonder they had thought it was. However, it was missing one crucial element, it was indeed not cold. To the same extent it was not hot, but more that it felt like glass, but how could this be? Turning water into glass? It was impossible.

Grimmjaw continued to marvel at the statue's bizarre qualities until a voice interrupted his thoughts, snapping him to.

"It is ice, just not _your _ice," Soeluna informed. The Sexta just raised a brow, glaring at her irritably.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" he snapped nastily.

"In nature, the only way to get ice is by dropping water's temperature to the point where it freezes and becomes ice crystals. However, the way my powers work are beyond nature, therefore rules and logic don't apply. I can convert water to its crystallized form without manipulating its temperature, therefore, it won't melt. I can also convert it while changing the temperature, that's why it's so cold in here." She explained nonchalantly, acting as if it was no big deal.

"So that's yar great power?" Grimmjaw snickered condescendingly. "Changing water to ice? Sounds dumb to me." Soeluna just raised a brow at his snide comment.

"Fool," she stated bluntly, with no bitterness or scorn behind her words. The sneer disappeared from the Sixth's face, coming to be replaced by a viscous snarl.

"What the hell did ya just say!?" he spat.

"Only a fool makes assumptions, especially in regards to another's powers," she informed, not even bothering to look at him. A fervent growl sounded from the Espada's throat, his hand clutching his sword in preparation.

"Ya know, bitch, ya've gotten a little _too_ comfortable here. Don't think that just because ya're Aizen's little pet, that I won't gut ya where ya stand for saying shit like that." He threatened, meaning every word of it.

Sighing softly, Soeluna closed her eyes before turning her head slowly and opening her eyes to meet his gaze. Grimmjaw's eyes were filled with a cruel detestation, whereas her's were strong yet no harshness could be found.

"You act as if I _need _Aizen to protect me," she mused humorlessly, standing up from the table to face the Espada.

"Well, I sure had to protect ya from yar brother. Tell me, where was yar strength and pride when Maephias attacked?" Something flickered in the woman's scarlet orbs at the mention of her brother, though that was the only reaction she gave. Still, Grimmjaw caught it. Smirking arrogantly, he felt pride well up in him at finding something that could faze the redhead's composure.

Soeluna, however, just stood up taller, her expression becoming stern and cross as she glared at him. Turning, she walked out a dozen or so steps to face the window, folding her arms behind her back casually.

"There are four main elements," she stated, not even bothering to see if they were paying attention or not. "Water, fire, earth, and air. Out of these four elements, water is the most underappreciated when it comes to fighting. Everyone associates water with healing, but the reality of the matter is it can be quite deadly." In a flash, she whipped around, bolting at the Espada so fast that she was just a blur. Before Grimmjaw's mind could even comprehend she had moved, she was in front of him, something sharp against his throat as she looked up at him blankly. "…if wielded properly," she finished, a smirk growing about her soft lips.

A frozen dagger was held to his throat by one hand, her other securely holding the man's hand that clutched his sword. The Espada just stared down at her disbelievingly, too shocked to react. There was no way he could have stopped her, no way he could have reacted fast enough, and it was this simple fact that annoyed him the most.

"Don't get confused," she ordered, staring the man right in the eyes, never backing down as she matched him, not as an arrancar, not as a fighter, but as an equal. "Don't start thinking that just because I'm unable to fight Maephias, that I'm weak. He is on a whole other level compared to you. He is stronger than any here and could have easily slaughtered you all if he had wonted to. So you've seen my weak side, I'll admit. Not many men have, but there is a difference between having a weakness and being weak," she stated with great tension, a viperous poison filling her gaze as her eyes darkened with the look of a seasoned killer.

"The only reason you don't know more about my powers is I don't feel the need to flaunt my abilities. I prefer to leave my enemies guessing, or like you, assuming." With that, she lowered the self-made dagger from the Espada's throat. Stepping back, she gave him one final glance before turning to face the table. "But sometimes people just need to be put in their place." Pulling out a chair, Soeluna sat down, continuing to toy with the snow as she made several other intricate statues. Grimmjaw felt the anger boiling up in him as the woman's words sank in. His whole body trembled with rage as he stomped over to her, jerking her shoulder back so that she would look at him.

"Hey, bitch! Ya talk about not underestimating yar opponent and shit, yet ya haven't even seen my true power and already ya're talkin' like ya're better than me. You can't even sense my retsu. So tell me again, who's the fool here?" The woman just blinked at him before turning back to her work, ignoring him completely. Again he felt the insatiable rage clawing at his insides as his temper took over him. "Hey ya f***ing whore! Listen to me when I'm f***ing talking to ya!!" Grabbing a fistful of the woman's wispy red hair, he yanked back on it harshly, Soeluna giving a sharp cry as her head was jerked back. Without thinking, the dagger again formed in her hand, lashing out as instinct kicked in. Grimmjaw felt a slight stinging as a neat gash was sliced across he left cheek, two more being carved into his arm. Those had only been warning shots and he knew it. The woman's other hand flew out at him, aimed at his throat, but there was interference.

"Oi. Oi! Break it up! Break! It! Up! Come on you two!" Before the two could do any further damage, the Sexta's fraccions got in the way. Ilfort grabbed his leader and pulled him off of the woman D-Roy in turn latched onto Soeluna as he attempted to restrain her.

"Let me at her! Let me at her! I'll teach that bitch a lesson!" the Sixth raved as he struggled against his fraccion.

"Calm down, man. Just let it go. It ain't worth it," Ilfort said in an attempt to calm the Sixth's raging temper. The redhead, however, in no way pursued the fight. She just leaned back against the young arrancar that "restrained" her, watching the Espada as his anger got the best of him.

It was several minutes before Grimmjaw was finally calm enough that they felt that they could release him without him trying to kill Soeluna. Straightening himself, he glared murderously at the woman, who gazed nonchalantly back. A deep growl sounded from his throat as he clenched his teeth before turning away sharply, stocking off to some remote corner of the library to fume over the incident.

There he remained until lunch came and he had to take Soeluna to see Aizen as he had to every lunch and dinner. His fraccions didn't bother getting him until then, not wanting another fight to start between the two. Soeluna alone seemed unaffected by the whole ordeal, brushing it off as if it was a daily occurrence, which in a way, it was. They had always fought on a daily basis, but never before had their fights become physical. It seemed they just got worse and worse.

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Aizen watched in fascination as Soeluna again formed a little statue as she had done so many times that day.

Marvelous, simply marvelous," he exclaimed enthusiastically. The woman gave a slight blush at the man's praise, giving a soft smile as she looked down at her feet.

"This explains quite a bit. This is quite impressive," the brunette commended.

"Ya did good," Gin chirped, rustling the woman's red hair affectionately. Grimmjaw just snorted, rolling his eyes as he glared off into a corner.

"Is there a problem, Sexta?" Aizen asked, a bit impatient with the man's attitude. The Sixth rolled his head to glare at his leader irritably.

"Yeah, why the hell do I have to be here?" he retorted bitterly, still in a bad mood from his fight with the redhead.

"Because I commanded it and that should be all the reason you need," Aizen declared condescendingly.

"tch." Grimmjaw snorted, turning his gaze back to the corner again.

Turning back to the redhead, Aizen features softened considerably as he covered her hand with his. Soeluna's face went red as she looked down at the man's substantially larger hand as it encompassed her own.

"Is there anything else you wish to tell us? About your powers, your weaknesses… your past?" he asked, doing his best to state the last part delicately. With that, the woman's head shot up, scarlet ors piercing his with a confused and wary stare. She remained silent, just watching him unsurely as she waited for an explanation, an action, a hint, something she could go on.

"You are related to them… are you not?" the ex-captain asked, sounding quite sure of himself. Soeluna looked surprised, but then she turned her face away from the man, adopting an expression of sternness. She pulled her hand from his, not harshly, but with enough detachment that it told him not to pursue it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered bluntly.

"Yes, you do. Your powers, your hair, that stone," he motioned to the rust colored stone that hung on her neck. She instantly clutched it in her hand, hiding it form him. "they all hint at what you are. Even your name, Soeluna. It's not a common name. There are only seven people who have it."

"Eight," she snapped harshly, turning to glare at him defensively.

"Eight? You mean there are more?" She looked away, not desiring to look at him.

"It's none of your business." Soeluna informed, her tone disdainful, warning him not to chase the topic.

"It might, or it might not be. But it is undoubted that you are one of them, Soeluna. You are one of the Holy Sisters." Soeluna tensed as the words left the man's lips to echo in the vast room.

"When'd ya figure it out?" Gin mocked inquiringly, as he is known to do, his usual knowing grin painted about his wily visage.

"I had my suspicions when we learned her name. I wasn't sure. Her eyes are the wrong color, but her powers and that stone. I'm sure of it now. Did you know?" the brunette asked curiously, raising a brow at the other.

"Yez, f'r a bit over a month now. I confronted her on it and she admitted to it," the silver fox explained slyly.

"And why didn't you tell me?" Aizen expression was stern and scolding.

"Like ya said, she's different. Wzn't sure if it would be wise ta tell ya just yet. Wanted ta get ta know her bett'r first, considerin' who she is an all." Aizen nodded, understanding the man's actions and approving them.

"Though I still think you had a personal interest in the matter. Still, I have to wonder what is a Holy Guardian doing so far from Chonrela?" This time the question was directed at Soeluna, her eyes narrowing as she put her guard up.

"I'm not a Holy Sister, not any more. I am here because this is where I ended up. I need no further reason than that. It's not like I have anywhere else to go." Her tone was stricked and her words bitter.

"But why are you not with your sisters, and how are you different from the others?" Aizen pressed.

Soeluna's expression went hard, her gaze strong and demanding as if ordering the other to drop the subject.

"That, my dear sir, is none of your concern, less you wish to explain to me what three shinigamis are doing associating with arrancars." Aizen faltered as the look in her eyes overpowered him, but he swiftly regained his composure.

"I apologize, my dear. I did not mean to press on such a delicate matter. I hope you can forgive my curiosity, it is a human nature I have yet to rid myself of." He was humble and quite well mannered, but still Soeluna eyed him warily.

"I will pardon it this once. Just don't let it happen again," she agreed after mulling it over for a while. Aizen gave a deep nod, his expression warm and kind, like the smile of an old friend you hadn't seen in ages.

"Agreed. Now you better be going along now. It is almost dark. Gin will be watching over you tonight," he reminded gently prompting her in the direction of the door, Gin following as ordered. "Take care," the brunette instructed gently, waving to the redhead as she walked down the hall with the silver fox. Turning to watch him over her shoulder, she waved warmly, giving a smile that would have made anyone who saw it fall in love. With that, she was gone.

"So what the hell is she?" Grimmjaw asked, slightly curious. The ex-shinigami leader just looked upon him with a thoughtful expression.

"The less you know, Sexta, the better." With that, he shooed the Espada out and closed the door, ponding over all he had just learned. This woman had definitely turned out to be more than he thought she would.

_Don't really have much to say. Please review. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed for Fright. I really appreciated your feed back, especially for that chapter._


	9. Goodbye Sexta

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning: **Some very mild violence and Grimmy's usual language.

_We've made it to chapter nine. Yay. This should be fun. I'd like to thank all my readers for 1000 hits. Seriously, ya all have been awesome. I couldn't ask for better readers. Now reviewers, wel,l that's another story, but anyway, thanks. Ya all are great. _

_I know the plot is kinda slow right now, but it will pick up. The real drama won't begin until chapter 15 or so, but things will get more exciting as we get closer. For this chapter I had to go back and restudy chapter 213. trifle of the bleach manga so I could accurately depict parts of this chapter. I hope I did a good job. Aizen is so dang stoic. _

**Disclaimer:** Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kudo. Soeluna and her affiliates, such as Maephias, their past and such, belong to me. The enjoyment of the cross between the two belongs to you, the reader. X3 enjoy.

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You've got to stand for somethin' or you'll fall for anything

-John Cougar Mellencamp, "You've Got to Stand for Somethin'"  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 9. Goodbye Sexta

She didn't know where he was, only that he wasn't here. She didn't know why he had left, only that he had left without warning. She didn't even know when he had left, but most of all, she didn't know why Aizen was so unpleased.

Grimmjaw had failed to report in to guard Soeluna that morning, not that she cared to particularly. She had simply shrugged it off and went to visit Aizen. It made no difference to her whether or not the Sixth was there. The ex-shinigami, however, expressed great interest in the whereabouts of the teal haired Espada. When she told him she didn't know, he had ordered several of the lesser arrancars to search for him.

An hour or so later, it was established that the Sexta was nowhere to be found in Los Noches. Without hesitation, Aizen had sent Kaname out to look for the troublemaker, telling him that if Grimmjaw did not come back peaceably, he was to be killed for insubordination.

This all had happened the day after Ulquiorra had returned from the human world. He had apparently been sent on a mission to kill a few humans that Aizen thought might present a threat in the future. However, when he had returned, he proclaimed that the one boy in particular he was sent to kill was of no threat. It had been some orange haired substitute soul reaper that Aizen had had a run in with when he was still with the Soul Society. He had impressed the now ex-captain of the fifth with his strength, so much so that the brunette had sent Ulquiorra to dispose of him, should he prove a threat.

Nevertheless, the Cuarta had judged that the substituted shinigami was of no danger to them. They were not worried about his current abilities so much as his growth rate, he had limitless potential. In spite of this, his powers were extremely unstable, or so Ulquiorra said, and would most likely destroy the boy before he became powerful enough to present a threat. On the other hand, if he did not self-destruct, the Fourth believed he just might prove useful to them in the future.

Aizen had accepted the Espada's decision, telling him that the boy was his responsibility and he was to deal with him should he became an obstacle. It had been Grimmjaw alone who had disagreed with the Cuarta's verdict. He had grumbled about it, saying that Ulquiorra was soft, that he should have killed when he had permission to kill.

Personally, Soeluna agreed with Grimmjaw on this matter. When you had someone who might present even the slightest threat, no matter how far off in the future, you kill them before they can ever even get the chance to challenge you. You didn't want to see whether or not their powers balance out; you eliminated them then and there. Underestimating one's opponent and affording them the chance to get stronger was simply disadvantaging oneself.

Still though, it was Aizen. He was bound to have some tricks up his sleeves for dealing with this substitute soul reaper if it came down to it, of this she was certain. She continued to think back to that meeting, remembering different smaller details of the most inconsequential nature, though presently she sat in Aizen's personal quarters.

"So Sexta did not tell you anything about where he was going, or what he was doing?" the arrancar's leader asked as he sat at his desk, Soeluna sitting across from him with her hands folded on her lap. She shook her head 'no', her red hair rustling slightly with the movement. The brunette gave her an appreciative nod, returning his attention to his tea. Taking a delicate sip, he savored the warm taste that indulged his senses. This moment was interrupted, however, by a stumpy little arrancar as he burst through the door, huffing and puffing as he struggled to regain his breath.

Soeluna had seen him around, but didn't really know him. He slouched, bracing his hands on his knees as he fought to speak between wheezes.

"Aizen…-sama…I loo…I looked into…the leads…you… gave me…It's like you said… They're…they're gone… Grimmjaw's fraccions… all of them," the man gasped, barely managing to get the words out as he breathed desperately.

"I see," Aizen stated uniformly. "Get word to Kaname. Tell him my suspicions were correct. He is to bring the Sexta back. I will deal with him." There was no anger in his voice, no disappointment or disdain. It was like any of the white walls in Los Noches, blank. As the arrancar scurried off to fulfill his leader's requirements, the brunette stood up, walking around the desk and offering the woman his hand. "Come with me, my dear. There is something I think you should see." Soeluna wordlessly agreed, taking the man's hand and pulling herself up from that point. Nothing was said as she followed him, not sure where they were going, just acting upon his wishes.

The hallways all looked the same, nevertheless she somehow managed to tell them apart. As she trailed behind the brunette, she pondered over what Aizen wanted to show her. It had to have something to do with Grimmjaw, but what? She didn't know where he was either. It wasn't like he told her his secrets or even talked to her about anything for that matter. Oh, well, it didn't really matter to her.

"Here, my dear." Soeluna was brought from her thoughts as the ex-shinigami's voice reached her. "I want you to wait her in the shadows. Do not let anyone see you." They were in the throne room, a large white room that seemed to stretch on forever. Large black pillars lined the walls on either side, stretching up to the ceiling far above. To Soeluna's right was a wall that stretched up about sixty or so feet before opening to another floor. The only thing that occupied the large ledge was two black pillars that stood about twenty feet apart and a marble throne that sat between them. The chair itself was huge, dwarfing any man that sat in it. Behind the stone throne, the white emptiness went on forever.

The room on a whole made Soeluna feel small and vulnerable, like solitary being in a frozen iceland. It was like a never ending void, nothing distinguishable for miles, just eternal barrenness. It was a very unnatural feeling, uncomfortable even.

She turned around to ask Aizen what they were doing there, but he was gone. Looking around, she searched for his distinguishable form against the infinite monotony of the room. He wasn't there.

"Is something wrong?" The voice reverberated through the room, bouncing of the walls as it seemed to come from every direction. Straining her neck, Soeluna looked up at the dignified figure that sat erect on the marble throne. Aizen looked down at her decorously as he offered a placid smile of kindness.

"Oh, no. Everything's fine," she stammered, a blush lightly painting itself over her cheeks. Aizen's soft gaze seemed to twinkle.

"That is good." Sitting back, the man stared ahead, looking very noble and dignified in his composure. The redhead didn't bother turning to see what he was looking at. She was too transfixed upon his image.

His brown, hair was slicked back, shimmering in the bright light of the room, chocolate orbs swirling with a molten sophistication. The unconcerned air about him was intoxicating and his gentle, always in control way was unmatched. He was a perfect gentleman who offered a gracious kindness that Soeluna hadn't been shone in decades. She couldn't take her eyes away from him.

"Excuse me, Aizen, what are we here for?" she asked, confusion overtaking her face.

"You will see," he answered softly. Just then, Soeluna heard something off in the distance. Voices. Turning around, she did as Aizen had instructed. Remaining partially enshrouded in shadows, she watched as two figures came forth from the distant hallway that connected to the limitless room. In truth, they looked like ants in comparison to the immeasurable emptiness of the room.

It was Grimmjaw. Hands stuffed in his pockets, as usual, his appearance was somewhat ruffled and bore the aspect of some… minor struggle. His head was bleeding, though he didn't seem to mind, and an ugly looking gash stretched all the way from his left shoulder down diagonally to the right leg, just below the junction between the leg and the hip. The wounds weren't particularly deep, but they were messy. All the same, a smug grin dominated his visage.

In front of him stood Kaname Tosen. Soeluna had talked with him before but was hesitant to say she knew him, or liked him for that matter. Kaname wore his usual disapproving scowl, his expression hardly ever changing.

Neither of the men seemed to notice that Soeluna was even there, not that she was that noticeable. Everything in the room was either white or black and her uniform consisted of both these colors. Also, standing unmoving back in the corner, masked in shadows, she was nothing more than part of the scenery and with no retsu, there was no way the men could have sensed her.

"Welcome back… Grimmjaw," Aizen stated in mock greeting. His chocolate orbs lingered on the Sexta as he gazed down at him with an expression of supremacy and control. In turn, the Sixth matched his leaders gaze with a blank glare that said nothing, though one could tell by looking in his eyes that under that mask he was annoyed at being interrupted from his fun.

For a while, all was silent, an oppressive atmosphere overtaking them as the tension grew. Despite it all, Grimmjaw kept his cool, never really letting Aizen get to him. Finally, Kaname broke the silence.

"Well? Aren't you going to apologize, Grimmjaw?"

"No." the Sexta didn't even bother turning to look at him as he made his reply.

"You…" Kaname started angrily.

"It is all right, Kaname." Aizen interrupted composedly. "I am not angry."

"But Aizen-sama-" the blind man protested.

"I take Grimmjaw's actions… to be an overzealous display of loyalty," he explained, looking down at them unperturbedly. "Am I wrong, Grimmjaw?" he questioned, his gaze daring the other to correct him. The Espada just glared for a moment, a determined rebelliousness solidifying itself in his gaze. Then he spoke.

"No, Aizen-sama." The words seemed to pain him as he said them, like broken glass in his throat. Nonetheless, he did not lose the determination and pride that flickered in his eyes.

WHAP!

An arm shot out, taking a threatening hold of the Sexta's collar. Kaname stood there, glaring sternly at the arrancar, his grip unrelenting.

"What're ya doing, Tosen?" Grimmjaw asked in a nonchalant way. Giving the Sexta one final glare, he turned to face his leader.

"Aizen-sama! Let me execute him!!"

"Kaname…" the brunette said, his pause causing a moment of suspense. A smirk grew about Grimmjaw's lips as the blind man released his shirt.

"This is personal. Ya just don't like me," he sneered. "Is that anyway for a director-general to behave?"

"I believe that anyone who disrupts the peace should pay. That's all," the ex-shinigami stated bluntly.

"Whose peace? The group's?" the Espada retorted mockingly.

"Aizen-sama's," Kaname retorted straightforwardly.

"Ha! Fine. Hide behind the cause," Grimmjaw sneered. The ex-captain just looked at the ground.

"Exactly… It's all about the cause. Your raid lacked purpose." He placed his hand on his sword. "Killing without purpose is only murder." With a soft clank of metal, he slowly drew his sword. "On the other hand… killing with purpose… is justice." With that final statement, the blind man leapt forward, bringing his sword down in one swift, decisive swing.

SHAK

Grimmjaw's arm flew through the air, blood sputtering forth as it splattered his clothes. A deep blinding pain shot through him, his brain reeled. Everything else was forgotten as a brutal sensation indescribable as anything beyond hell swallowed him. The pain hit before reality did, taking hold of him as he watched his own left arm sail through the air, falling with a thud to the floor.

"**GAAAAAAAH!!!"** he shrieked, that being all he could think to do as he clutched the spot where his left shoulder used to be.

"Hado 54, Haien (abolition flame)," Kaname stated sternly as he shot a kido at Grimmjaw's dismembered arm. Instantly it burst into flames, disintegrating in a matter of seconds. Soeluna made a slight movement in the direction of the two men, but stopped herself.

"**F***!!! F***! F***!! F***!!!"** he screamed as blood flew from his wound, as if screaming would some how alleviate him of his pain. **"Ya bastard!" **he shot at Kaname. **"Ya cut off my arm!! Ya're dead!!!" **Summoning up a cero, he aimed, preparing to shoot it at his assailant.

"Stop…Grimmjaw," came Aizen's voice. "If you attack Kaname… you'll force me to reprimand you." His tone was flat as he looked down at the bleeding Grimmjaw with a hardened stare of authority. The Sexta glared back, his own pride not allowing him to back down as he and his leader had a stare down for dominance.

Growling, Grimmjaw offered up a murderous 'Hmph!' before turning around and storming off. He never looked back, but Aizen could tell he was wearing the face of a man that was seriously contemplating mass murder. As the receding sound of his steps faded away into the distance, Soeluna stepped forward with a look of blank astonishment etched into her face. Kaname turned in surprise, noticing for the fist time that someone else had been there. Turning to stare questioningly at his leader, the blind man inquired 'what is she doing her' with his gaze.

"It is all right, Kaname," Aizen assured, waving a hand at the man. "I asked her to be here. I wanted her to see what happened to her caretaker when he disobeys me." Changing his gaze to the woman, the brunette gave her a soft smile. "I apologize for not warning you in advance, but I just thought you should know what happened to your caretaker, before he started filling your head with lies, that is." Turning to face him, her expression was pressed and quizzical.

"What do you mean?" she asked directly.

"It is very simple, my dear," the brunette answered, sounding charming and cordial. "You remember the meeting we had yesterday, do you not?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation and assuredly.

"Well then, surely you remember my decision to place the substitute soul reaper as Ulquiorra's responsibility." Red hair bobbed with her nod. "Well, Grimmjaw seemed to decide that my decision was not good enough for him. So, he went down to the human world last night with his fraccions, and attempted to kill all who had any amount of spiritual pressure there." Soeluna was slightly surprised. She hadn't thought Grimmjaw would be that interested in fighting a puny shinigami. He was far stronger than the orange haired teen. What did it matter? Was he just trying to prove himself? He was chockfull of foolish pride, but then again, so was she. Blinking slowly, she looked up at Aizen, not needing to hear his story to side with him in the first place.

"I understand." It was stated slowly, but confidently. She really did side with the ex-shinigami. Grimmjaw had disobeyed his superior and needed to be punished, though she thought Kaname's methods a bit harsh. Grimmjaw should know his place.

"Excellent." Aizen smiled, gazing at her with pride, causing the woman to blush lightly. "If I may ask you a favor, would you go see how the Sexta, well, former-Sexta, is doing? I would send one of the healer arrancars to check on him, but knowing his temper, he would kill them in a way of venting his anger towards me."

"So you send me?" she stated, raising a brow in humorous questioning.

"Yes, because I believe you are strong enough that you could handle him, should he try anything." He answered, never doubting the woman's capabilities.

"I am honored," she answered with a devilish smirk.

"I thank you for doing this for me." The brunette smiled standing up from his throne.

"No problem. I better go attend to the Big Bad Jerk," she snickered, turning to walk in the direction in which the arrancar had stormed off.

"If you stop by the infirmary, they should supply you with what you will need to take care of him. Do not be afraid to get rough if you have to."

"Never have been," she smirked before waving goodbye.

She walked down the halls, windows on her left, doors lining the wall on her right. Soeluna knew the lay out of Los Noches well enough by now to navigate it by herself though she knew Aizen would have preferred someone to have accompanied her.

It was understandable, after the whole Maephias incident and all, but the fact was, this wasn't the first time Maephias had attacked her. In fact, it wasn't even the second. This last attack brought the total to about nineteen. His attacks were few and far between, but they were always at random and unpredictable.

His objective was clear by now. He wanted to kill her for the crimes he thought she had committed, yet in the battle prior to the last, he had almost succeeded. She had been lying on the ground, helpless to fight him, and yet he had left, never finishing the job. She didn't know why, for she had blacked out immediately afterwards. Maybe that was when the arrancars had found her, maybe it was days later. She didn't really know, nor did she think much about it.

After stopping by the infirmary, she headed straight for Grimmjaw's room, taking the quickest route as she weaved in and out of back passages and large open hallways. Finally coming to the white door, she laid a total of five knocks on the solid wood before a harsh bark came from within.

"Go die!" _How charming,_ she thought, rolling her eyes before opening the door and stepping in.

"Now really, is that any way to treat someone who's trying to help you?" she asked, shutting the door behind her as she watched the man that sat on the messy bed across the room from her.

"Oh, sorry," he growled sarcastically, "I didn't know it was ya. What I would have said was 'Go suck a dick'!" Glaring at him, she clenched her fist behind her back, reminding herself she was doing this for Aizen.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she walked over to the still bleeding man. His blood splattered shirt was thrown carelessly on the floor and he was presently attempting to bandage his arm himself, a task he was failing miserably at.

"Here, let me do that," she mumbled softly, reaching out to take the bandage. Grimmjaw just jerked his hand away, glaring at her with unrivaled anger.

"Why don't ya just go suck Aizen. Ya f***ing whore," he barked viscously.

SWAP!

Grimmjaw was stunned into silence, teal eyes wide and blank as they stared at the wall. His left cheek stung with the force her hand had laid on it. Soeluna remained standing as she glared down at him with slitted eyes, hard and determined, the scarlet changed to the color of blood.

"Look! I don't need you to like me. I don't even care if you hate me. All I demand is respect, nothing more and certainly nothing less. I will not tolerate you talking to me like that! I came here to help you so shut up and let me take care of your wounds!" Her tone was stern and powerful, never backing down as she stared at him with unyielding eyes. All the man could do was stare at the wall, too shocked to do anything. "Now, are you going to cooperate or am I going to have to hit you again?" She asked scoldingly, though it didn't completely sound like a threat.

As if suddenly waking, Grimmjaw turned his head to face her, staring up at those scarlet eyes in surprise, still disbelieving what she had done. Leaning down, she took the bandage from him, beginning to unwrap his sloppy attempt.

"That's better," she stated, softening slightly as she began her work. The male just stared at her, still unable to believe she had actually hit him, though he didn't know why, it wasn't like it was the first time she had hit him.

When she was done removing the bandages, Soeluna turned to the things the nice people at the infirmary had given her. Taking out a small vile and a washcloth, she soaked the washcloth before returning her attention to the man. Kneeling down, she looked him in the eyes, not a hint of anger left in those crimson pools as she explained what she was going to do.

"I have to clean the wound. It will help stop infection. It might sting a bit. We better start with your arm." Though really it was more of a stump now, still, she didn't want to wound his pride by calling it that. She knew how embarrassing and how defeating this had been for him. It went beyond just losing an arm. It was a direct blow to his pride, and that was something far worse.

He nodded slightly, a short bob of the head as his eyes remained fixed on her hands. Offering him a slight smile, she leaned in as she began to clean the wound. At first she just cleaned the area around the wound, wiping away the blood and sweat that covered his shoulder and ribs. Then, when she went to address the actual wound, that's when the pain hit.

"Aww! Shit!" Grimmjaw yelled, cringing away from the washcloth as the tender flesh of his wound screamed out in pain.

"I'm sorry," she replied apologetically, "but I have to clean the wound." As she returned the rag to his still bleeding flesh, he let out another sharp cry.

"Oh my f***ing Aizen! That hurts!!" he growled threateningly, turning to glare murderously at her.

"Well if you stop squirming, maybe it wouldn't hurt so much," she snapped, returning his glare with equal determination. Grimmjaw stared back for a while, but resolved to turn and glare off into the corner, pouting. Sighing, Soeluna returned to the task at hand. The male cringed as the towel was returned to the sensitive wound, but he bit his tongue and dealt with the pain.

The bleeding had mostly stopped by then, so when she was done, she simply cleensed the wound across his chest, then bandaged them up. As she wrapped a clean dressing around his torso and shoulder, the male watched her curiously, not sure whether or not he trusted the woman.

"Why are ya helping me?" he asked directly, staring down at the redhead while she concentrated on wrapping his shoulder. Glancing up at him, she blinked impassively before returning to her work.

"Well, I guess, because Aizen asked me to," she answered truthfully. The other just furrowed his brows.

"Tch. Figures," he snorted, looking away as she went back to dressing his shoulder. The two remained silent for quite some time afterwards, the only sounds that were made were the occasional stifled sounds of pain that came from the wounded man.

Tying off the bandages, Soeluna moved on to the still bleeding gash on Grimmjaw's forehead. It was running down into his eye, though he didn't seem to be bothered by it, and was currently covering the teal tattoo on his left eye.

"This one's not as bad as it looks," she stated aloud, leaning in to inspect the wound thoughtfully. The man glared as he noticed the woman's close proximity.

"Any reason ya're so damn close?" he questioned sharply. Changing her gaze to stare down into his piercingly electric blue eyes, Soeluna simply replied by blinking, then leaning back slowly. Her gaze stayed locked with his, though it hardly held the same irritability as his did. Instead, she seemed to be caught up in a thought that had randomly come to her.

"Grimmjaw… are you going to be okay?" she asked blankly, no emotion to it, no concern, simply a question brought on by speculation.

"What the hell do ya mean by that!?" he snapped, not really liking the empty tone in her voice.

"Well, I mean, after what you did, you're no longer Sexta anymore… what's going to happen?" It had never been stated out loud, but it was understood by both Grimmjaw and Soeluna that he had lost his position. He was no longer Grimmjaw Jaggerjack, Sexta Espada; he was just Grimmjaw Jaggerjack, another arrancar in Aizen's army.

Teal eyes lowered to the ground, though the woman's never faltered from his. The scowl never left his face, even if it did soften considerably as he mulled over the question. After a few seconds of deathly silence, the man shrugged, replying simply,

"I don't know. I guess ya'll be put under someone else's care. Ya might get a new room. Ya lessons are pretty much done so we won't have ta do that anymore… I guess it won't be much different sept for the fact that I can't order ya around anymore, not that ya ever really listened to begin with," he added apathetically. Soeluna shook her head, red hair shimmering as it snapped with her movement.

"No, I don't mean me. I can get along just fine by myself. I mean… what's going to happen to you?" Grimmjaw stopped. He hadn't thought of that.

What was going to happen to him? He was now no more highly regarded than any of the nameless foot soldiers he had stepped on for so long. Knowing certain other Espadas, Nnoitra and Szayel, they would never let him live this down. Who would they replace him with? Would he be forced to become a fraccion to one of the present Espadas? Forced to do as they say? He could never do that. His pride would never let him. Soeluna seemed to be thinking the exact same thing.

"I don't think you'll have to serve as any of the other Espada's fraccions," she reassured, but suddenly sat up straight as a random thought clicked in her head. "Wait, if your not an Espada anymore, what's going to happen to your fraccions?" Her eyes held a sense of urgency as she stared straight into the teal orbs of the surprised man. Something sank inside of him, causing him to turn away as he found himself unable to meet her gaze.  
"I don't think you'll have to worry about them," he stated bluntly, closing his eyes not to open them again until next he spoke.

"What… do you mean?" she asked slowly, a ominous sense of dread taking hold of something in her stomach. Grimmjaw exhaled heavily, still unable to find it within himself to look her in the eyes.

"No one will have to worry about them, because… they died," he muttered, a slight twinge of remorse lingering in his voice. Soeluna felt something fall within her, plummeting endlessly as the words echoed throughout the emptiness that consumed her. It took her several moments to decipher the words the man spoke, as if trying to understand another language. She felt herself shake slightly, a mere quiver overtaking her form as the finality of death sunk in to her disbelieving mind.

They had been her first friends here. They had been kind to her, shone her warmth and compassion. They had even tolerated her and Grimmjaw's endless fights. Never thinking of themselves, they had always been there for her… and now they were gone. She felt tears brimming in her eyes as something in her stomach gave a sick lurch. Ilfort, Shawlong, Edorad, Nakim, even little D-Roy, they were gone, all gone. A sudden distance seemed to pull her from the world. Everything became heavier. Even the air she breathed became strained.

War. This is what came of it. Nothing but death, disease and darkness. But she knew that, probably better than any. Everything came with a price and they were the payment. She couldn't blame the man that sat in front of her. It wasn't like he meant it to happen. Besides, she had seen this too much already to really be truly affected by it ever again.

Regaining her composure, she brushed her hair back to tuck behind her ear. She took a deep breath before she was sure she had control of herself enough to look up. Raising her head, she looked straight ahead. Grimmjaw was watching her.

"Jeez, and here I thought you would have cried," he snorted, meeting her gaze for the first time since he had given her the news. The woman shook her head softly.

"No. I've seen to much death to be affected by it anymore. It's all the same. No, in this world, there's only the hunter and the hunted. There's no room for weakness," she answered sorrowfully.

"And which are ya?" Grimmjaw asked, only slightly curious. The redhead thought for a moment before making her reply.

"I… don't know." An awkward silence ensued, consuming all in its unnerving stillness. Soeluna was left alone to her thoughts, Grimmjaw still sitting on the bed as he stared around the room uncomfortably. As the minutes ticked by, like grains of sand through an hourglass, the silence became worse and worse, till finally, the man could bare it no longer.

"Look, if ya're not going to tend to my wounds, then get out." His tone was harsh, but that was how he was, not a compassionate bone in his perfectly sculpted body. Snapping out of her trance, Soeluna stared up at him blankly before the meaning of his words sank in.

"Oh, yes," she fumbled, hurrying to tend to the man's injury and leave.

_Oooh, plot development, we have found you. Grimmjaw: "Plot? What Plot?" –ignores- Next, chapter ten XD. I would like to take this moment to thank all of you for taking time out of your day to read my story. I am touched. Without you I couldn't do this. Give yourself a round of applause. But seriously, I may not know who you are, but the fact that you all have made Beauty From Pain as popular as it is a great blessing for me. So if there is anyway I could make this story more enjoyable for you, please tell me. Again thank you._

_With Love,  
GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.- _


	10. Ashes to Ashes, Sexta to Sexta

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning: **the usual.

_Yay!!! Chapter ten! We made it. I am so stressed because soon we will be getting to the chapter where the plot really picks up and it is kinda, well, I don't know what to say without giving anything away. I guess it's… like falling off an emotional cliff. Should be fun._

_I think we should just savor this moment because after the plot starts to pick up, you will think I am the most messed up writer and will probably have to go to therapy for my story. Maybe, maybe not. But just so you know, the storm is coming._

_Just so you know, since Aizen is the arrancars' "god", instead of saying "Oh, my God" or "For the love of God" they say "Oh my Aizen" or "For the love of Aizen". Just so you know._

**Disclaimer:** I once owned Bleach, but then I woke up.

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Every heart hath its own aches.  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 10. Ashes to Ashes, Sexta to Sexta

Grimmjaw hadn't come. Soeluna hadn't expected him to. It was the official ceremony to accept his replacement after all. All the Espadas were there to "welcome" the new member of their group. None of them really cared, but Aizen had ordered that they had to be their, so there they were.

Soeluna didn't pay any attention to the ritual. She really didn't care considering the new Espada was no one she knew. Some short, well groomed arrancar stood at the head of the table next to Aizen as the brunette went on and on about who knows what. The redhead was too busy staring off absentmindedly as she let her thoughts wonder. She eventually found them coming back to her now dead friends, something that had been happening rather often lately.

When the ceremony was over, all the Espadas and their fraccions were gathered in another room. That's when Aizen chose to approach her.

"Soeluna, may I speak to you in private for a moment?" She was slightly surprised, but agreed nonetheless. Following the ex-shinigami as he motioned for them to move to a more isolated location, the redhead felt her heart racing to some extent at the idea of being alone with the gracious man. When they reached a corner of the room off from the others, Aizen turned to her, a generous smile on his face though his expression was serious.

"How have you been, my dear?" he asked, tilting his slightly as he offered her a smile that perfectly showcased his pearly white teeth.

"I've been fine. Thank you for asking," she replied, blushing as she looked down at her feet. The brunette gave her a short nod before continuing.

"There is something I with to discus with you," he stated, causing her to look up at him. "When you first arrived here, I put you in the Grimmjaw's care for a variety of reasons, but now, what with him losing his rank and all, I am unsure whose care to place you in." Before he could go on to ask her anything, the woman spoke up, leaning in preemptively with her energy.

"I-I can go with whoever. It doesn't matter to me. Whatever is easiest for you," she stuttered slightly, lacing her fingers together over her stomach nervously. Aizen was slightly taken aback, but soon overcame that and smiled down at her. Reaching out, the man patted the woman's head affectionately.

"Thank you for your cooperation in the matter. I think I know someone that would be perfect for the job. Come with me." So she did, following the man as he left the corner and proceeded to a large group of arrancar. The crowd parted and there, at the center, was Luppi.

"And how are you getting along with my Espadas, Sexta?" Aizen asked, though his voice seemed almost taunting, something he was doing a lot lately. Luppi gave a deep bow to show his respect.

"Wonderfully, thank you, Aizen-sama," he replied, nothing but admiration lacing his voice.

"Good. Now, I have a job for you." Aizen stated, smiling though his expression was stern and serious. Luppi looked surprised and somewhat anxious but nodded none the less.

"I want you to look after Soeluna. You may see her as a fraccion, but you are to treat her as my personal guest. She is very important and I trust you know the consequence should you fail me." At this, the ex-shinigami let his spiritual pressure spike slightly, causing a cold sweat to break out on the surrounding crowd. The new-Sexta struggled to breath, but managed to choke out a "yes, Aizen-sama," whereafter the man was satisfied. The pressure dwindled away, eventually leaving them completely. Many of the lower ranked arrancars were left panting as their leader exited the room, unable to cope with the high spiritual pressure. Soeluna, being unaffected by the whole ordeal, simply turned to the man that was to be her new caretaker, looking him over as she sized him up.

Luppi was a short thing. Standing at only five feet tall, Soeluna towered over him altogether. Petite and dainty were two words in particular that came to mind when describing the new-Sexta. His uniform was, like everyone else's, white. It had a large neck, with sleeves so long that they concealed his hands. His uniform shirt was tucked in to his belt and the sides around the waist opened to reveal the skin.

He had lavender-purple eyes, though Soeluna thought them to be shallow at times, and his eyebrows were thin and stylish. His thin black hair was perfectly combed as it hung in a slight bob. Two stray pieces of hair with a slight curl hung on either side of his head, in front of his ears.

The remains of his hollow mask hung on the left side of his head like a comb or a bow in his hair. Soeluna had seen him around before but hadn't really conversed with him. To tell the absolute truth, she hadn't even known that Luppi was a boy until that day. He had a habit of being rather feminine and always seemed to hang out with the women arrancar, though very few of them could stand him.

The way he walked, the way he talked, even how he fought, it was all exceedingly feminine. The man was very into gossip, a veritable busy-body, and would often be found poking his nose where it didn't belong. He also possessed the nature of a very catty, judgmental and vain woman. He would often assess people by how they dressed or who they were seen with. But Soeluna didn't want to be quick to judge, so she decided she would disregard these thoughts and see Luppi as a person and not as a stereotype.

Despite it all, she had still kept the room next to Grimmjaw's. Aizen hadn't seen any reason for her to have to relearn paths from her usual hangout spots to a new room. Also, Grimmjaw had kept his room, the reason for this being unknown and unquestioned, which was strange considering his room was in the Espada hallway.

Not many associated with the ex-Espada these days. He kept mostly to himself and was rarely seen out of his room save to eat or occasionally wander the halls. Things had become rather quiet without him always picking a fight with somebody.

Coming back to the present, Soeluna extended her hand for the man to shake. He didn't. Not even bothering to look down at it, lavender orbs just stared up at her smugly. His eyes looked up and down her body as he evaluated her, sending shivers down her spine, though she wouldn't let it show.

"Soeluna, was it? You're the one that… _fraternized _with Grimmjaw and his little delinquents, am I right?" The way he hummed the words and the implications that went along with them left the redhead feeling insulted, cross and more then slightly irked. Doing her best to push her urges to snap at him aside, the woman gave a nod, gritting her teeth as she glared down at the smirking man.

"Well I can see you aren't too terribly upset about what happened," he mused, shrugging his shoulders. "But then again, there are plenty of other men in Los Noches, so why would you be trouble over some one-armed psycho?" Soeluna clenched her fist, trying her best to suppress a growl. This man just seemed to know how to rub her in all the wrong ways. She didn't know why, but something about the way he acted just annoyed her. Confused, she found herself asking why what he was saying was affecting her so much. People had insulted her before, but something about the way this little man did it really got under her skin. Maybe it was the way he talked to her like common trash or some hussy on the street corner when he didn't even know her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about him just pushed all her buttons. Anyone with half a brain would have stopped by now, but Luppi was a two watt bulb in a hundred watt case.

"Oh, well, he always was a failure as an Espada. Actually, he's a failure as a man," Luppi cackled, not noticing the anger in the woman's aura. "He always acted like he was so badass, probably just trying to make up for his lack. And he's so ugly, a girl would have to be desperate to do him. No offence intended," he sneered as he tilted his shoulders and covered his mouth coyly.

"He is more of a man than you. At least he had the balls to insult someone to their face. Offence intended," she stated flatly, startling the man as he watched the resentment flash through her eyes. She was sick of his negative picking at people. She didn't even like it when girls did it, let alone this petite "man". Soeluna opened her mouth to continue, but was stopped as a strong hand was placed on her shoulder.

Looking up, her scarlet orbs met Stark's hazel ones for a split second before he stepped in front of her. His usual lazy expression was adorned on his face, but something in his eyes flashed dangerously.

"Look, Luppi. We all know you're new to this," he began languidly. "So I think I will explain a few things. One, know the strength of those around you." Though he didn't glance back, it was clear he was referring to Soeluna. "Two, don't do anything that might cause Aizen trouble, and three, this woman is Aizen's guest and is not necessarily bound to the rules that we adhere to. If you want to continue this, I will not stop you, but I can guarantee that she will not take your insults lying down." Stark towered over the smaller arrancar, staring down at him idly. "Also, I must warn you, several Espadas have become rather attached to her. So if you're looking for trouble… continue offending her, 'cause you'll sure as hell find it." What really convinced Luppi to back down was the threatening tone in the brunette's voice as he narrowed his eyes at the smaller man.

All the fight drained out of him and, though he would never admit it, he turned sheepishly to retreat. Soeluna watched him leave, feeling most of her anger die away as if he had taken it with him, though some still remained as it grew into a dull ache.

"Thank you. You really didn't have to do that though. I could have handled him myself," she stated, looking up into his beautiful hazel eyes as he turned to face her.

"I know," he answered lazily, "just thought I'd save you the trouble. What with everything that's happened, didn't think you needed any more stress." Though he acted nonchalantly about it, she could tell that what Luppi had done had really bugged him.

"Thank you. Thank you very much," she stated, giving a respectful bow before heading off to find Gin.

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By the third week of being Luppi's fraccion, Soeluna was sick to death of the obnoxious little twit. The man was rather feminine and a complete drama queen. No matter what they were doing, whether it was training or eating or taking care of his Espada duties, he was always making a big deal about something. He continuously complained about just about anything. The food was too cold, the hallway was too long, he was too tired, no one was paying attention to him, his hair wasn't straight enough, this or that, no matter was too trivial matter for him to bellyache about.

Luppi was more of a girl than Soeluna was and it bugged her. Not so much that she was insecure in her own femininity, but more that the man's girly dramatics constantly pissed her off. The way he flapped his oversized uniform sleeves around, how he always half lidded his gaze seductively whenever he talked to anyone, it was all just so wrong. Men were supposed to act like men, not little girls.

Another thing that annoyed her about the new Sexta was that he had no sense of personal space. Luppi would get right up in her face to make sure she wasn't ignoring him or lean over her shoulder while she was in the library to see what she was reading. The short raven-haired arrancar was constantly leaning on her or hanging on her. She hated it. He was invading her personal bubble and it definitely made her feel uncomfortable.

Also, the new-Sixth had no concept of privacy. Several times he had just burst into her room unannounced, more than once while she had been changing clothes. She wouldn't have even minded that much had there been an apology followed by a prompt exit. He didn't have to act flustered, just express that it was an accident. Nevertheless, it never happened that way. Grimmjaw had always banged rudely on the door while demanding she get out, cursing his head off, but he had never burst in, never entered without announcing himself. Luppi did.

He wouldn't even bother to act like he was intruding and instead just went on doing whatever it was he came to do, which was often nothing of any importance. Repeatedly he would just come to sit on Soeluna's bed, talking and gossiping about different things going on in Los Noches while the redhead stared at him disbelievingly.

One instance that came to mind had been particularly bad. She had just taken a shower after training and was in the process of putting her clothes on when Luppi had burst in. She had her pants on, but her top lacked any covering and she was quick to wrap her arms around herself, yelling at him furiously as she turned a deep scarlet. He had just walked in casually, waving a hand at her dismissively as he sat down on her bed, crossing his legs.

"Don't worry," he had insisted drolly. "It's not like you have anything worth hiding." The petite man was barely able to dodge the woman's punch as her fist flew down on the bed, breaking it in half. The new Espada was quick to scurry away after that, avoiding her for the course of the next couple of days. Retreating, that was about all he was good for.

Luppi was so bad, she was even starting to wish Grimmjaw was back. She and the former Sexta may have gotten into fights on a daily basis and hated each other, but they generally went with the concept of "you don't mess with me, I won't mess with you". And though they would never admit it, they both respected the other as a fighter.

In her opinion, Grimmjaw had been a much better Sexta Espada. It was not a personal preference, she just thought anyone would seem tame by comparison to the tenacious, ruthless teal haired arrancar, especially petite little Luppi.

However she knew this was only wishful thinking. Ever since Grimmjaw had lost his arm, his fraccions, and his rank, all in one day no less, he had been sulking around Los Noches, being careful to avoid any of the Espadas.

She still spent her dinners and lunches with Aizen, coming to treasure the time she spent with him more and more. Soeluna never complained to him about Luppi's treatment of her, though she knew she probably should. She didn't want to bother him with such a trivial matter and besides, she was somewhat embarrassed by it. So she just let it go, resolving to deal with it herself rather than ask anyone for help. Oh, sure, some of her closer friends, like Yami and Halibel, noticed what was going on, but she insisted that she had it all in hand.

Presently, the situation she had "in hand" was not going in her favor. Luppi was being, well, Luppi. Hanging on his fraccion's shoulder, he supported none of his own weight as he complained about everything in sight.

"Soeluna," he whined, "I'm so bored. Let's do something." His suggestion was as vague as his expectations of his fraccion. The woman just gritted her teeth, doing her best to not let the new Sixth get to her.

"I am doing something," she informed. "I'm putting these books back where they belong. You can help if you wish," she offered, holding an arm full of books to the short man.

"Tch, what a pain," Luppi snorted ungratefully. Giving a heavy sigh, Soeluna went back to her job.

She had taken it upon herself to manage the library. She would put books back on the shelf, make sure they were in order, clean up the library, and other various tasks that required being done.

Not many people really used the library. Szayel would occasionally come to research something and Halibel and her fraccions liked to come two or three times a month just to sit and read for a couple hours. Nnoitra didn't really read much, Soeluna didn't think Yami could, and Aizen only knew what Ulquiorra did with his spare time. Other lower level arrancars would often come to escape the Espadas and the troublesome Gin, ending up reading to pass the time.

Somewhere along the way, the library had gotten a new name. It was now referred to as "Soeluna's library". She loved that room. With reading being one of her favorite hobbies it was no surprise. At some point throughout her stay in Los Noches everyone had simply granted her custody of the small room in the southern wing.

She had been trying to straighten it up when her new Espada had found her. Since then it had been a game of entertain the ADD Espada. Luppi had stealthily begun to "bump" into her, his one hand sliding down to wrap around her waist. Though you wouldn't guess it by looking at him, Luppi was a bit of a pervert at times. He wasn't as direct about it as Nnoitra, but in ways that made him more dangerous.

Soeluna shifted as best she could out of his grasp, doing her best not to lose her temper with him, but when he persisted, she about had it.

"Will you-" she began, but was stopped as a gruff voice interrupted her.

"Oi, fag. Aizen wants ya." The voice came from right behind them, making Luppi jump slightly as they recognized it. The new Sexta whipped around to look up at the newcomer. Soeluna however, just went back to putting the books on the shelf, thankful for a moment of freedom from the clingy arrancar.

"How does hugging Luna make me a fag?" Luppi snapped angrily. The redhead scowled at the nickname, but didn't bother commenting.

"First of all, it sure looked like ya were trying to do more than just hugging. Secondly, ya'd have to be a fag to want to tap that," their company growled tauntingly, his tone full of disgust.

"You're just jealous because you weren't able to get anywhere with her," the new Sixth retorted as he pretended the newcomer wasn't getting to him.

"Please," the voice drolled, "If given the choice between you or me, I can promise ya she'd know which one would be the better f***, hands down." Soeluna stepped back, making a point of stomping on the other man's foot with all the force she could muster. The man let out a curse as he jerked back, clutching his foot.

"What did you come here for anyway?" Luppi scoffed, feeling he had the advantage. The man continued to massage his foot, doing his best to balance as he smirked down at the other arrancar.

"Aizen sent me," he replied with a mischievous grin, forgetting about his foot as he sneered at the other smaller male. "Ya're late for the meeting." The man's smile only grew as the new Sixth's eyes widened in alarm, his face growing tense. Letting out a curse, the petite man turned, dashing out the room and down the hall towards the meeting room, leaving Soeluna alone in the library with the other man without a second thought.

After delivering his message, however, the man did not leave. Instead, he just stood there watching the doors Luppi had run out of. She really didn't feel like dealing with the man right now, so Soeluna pretended not to notice him. The redhead continued putting the books away in their respective places on the shelf, until there were no books left in her arms to put away. She could feel the man's eyes on her, but she was not in the mood to face him.

"So, does Aizen know what that little fag has been doing to you?" the man asked in half interest.

"He hasn't done anything." She retorted.

"Oh, right," the man growled sarcastically, "I suppose ya just let any man that comes along feel ya up."

"That's not what he was doing and you know it. Furthermore, I would ask that you refrain from using such vulgar terms in reference to me. Jeez, you never change. Do you, Grimmjaw?" Turning around, she was met by the man's usual arrogant grin, his eyes taunting.

"Nope," he smirked as he tilted his head to gaze down at her egotistically. "Besides, what would I change to, that fag of yours? Ha! As if." The former Espada admittedly felt some satisfaction in the fact that he was still able to ruffle the woman's feathers.

"He's not _my _fag. I can't stand him." Soeluna avoided looking at the stump that remained of Grimmjaw's arm, knowing it would only wound his pride if she in anyway acknowledged it.

"Well from where I stand it sure looks like ya're letting him walk all over ya," he snorted, enjoying the anger that flashed through the woman's scarlet orbs.

"I am not. Besides, since when do you care how I let people treat me?" she shot back sternly. Grimmjaw turned away, half facing her to show he wasn't really interested in the conversation.

"I don't," he sneered, smirking at how easily the woman had gotten riled up. "Anyway, glad ya're enjoying yar new Espada," he said, spitting the word in disgust as he made his way to the door, "'cause if Tosen has his way, ya'll be stuck with him for quite some time."

"Please," she sighed in frustration. "I can barely stand him as a person, let alone an Espada." Grimmjaw stopped at the door, turning his head slightly to show that he was listening. Soeluna didn't even look to see if he was paying attention before continuing. "I mean, what was Aizen thinking? Luppi has no idea how to lead. He's incompetent, incapable of making decisions. He is irresponsible. Hell, he'd lose his head if wasn't attached to his shoulders. He's not even that strong," she raved, waving her hand about in an attempt to express her frustration. "I apologize if I'm lamenting to you, but the man's more of a girl than I am."

"You were never that much of a girl to begin with," the man stabbed. Turning, he propped himself against the door frame as he watched the woman, his usual heartless smirk lacing his lips. Soeluna gave him a disgruntled glare, but continued with her complaining.

"That aside, even forgetting Luppi's lack of personality, I don't see how he became Sexta. The man's not even strong enough to be a fraccion. He's going to get himself killed before Aizen even starts the war."

"Yeah, I can't argue with ya ther-" Grimmjaw stopped mid-sentence, realization dawning on his face. "Wait! How'd ya know we were going to war!?" Pushing off the door frame, he stood tall and demandingly as he glared at her suspiciously.

"Oh, don't flatter yourself," she huffed, waving him off. "You have an army of arrancars, all of which have been enhanced by the hogyoku, along with the fact that Aizen is ranking the top ten best killers among you. Also, you're investigating different shinigami from the Soul Society," she paused, turning to stare at him smugly. "You'd have to be an idiot to not see what's coming."

In all honesty, Soeluna thought Grimmjaw would be angry or annoyed or even surprised at the fact she had figured it out. Instead, he just scrutinized her for a moment or two, before an arrogant grin grew across his visage. Soeluna was slightly confused by this.

"Does Aizen know you figured it out?" he asked snidely. The redhead recovered herself, not wanting the man to see he had surprised her.

"He hasn't really been keeping it a secret, so I assume he wanted me to catch on. Trying to test my deductive abilities or something like that. He's not quite sure he can trust me yet." Her eyes flicked down to the dark green carpeting of the library, something like disappointment dashing through them. Grimmjaw watched her, a disdainful scowl overtaking his expression.

It was clear to any by now that Soeluna had a thing for their "god". The way she blushed when in his presence, how her smile would get slightly brighter, how she became more quiet and more feminine, even acting dainty or delicate at times, it was all so obvious. She spent much of her time with the ex-shinigami these days, though she still found time to manage her library and pal around with Yami, Nnoitra and some of the other Espadas.

She really had captured Los Noches in the palm of her beautiful gloved hands. Before she had come, Los Noches had been very secluded. Everyone did things their way and pretty much kept to themselves. There was always high tension and fights broke out between the arrancars on a daily basis. No one talked to anyone else, no one cared about anyone else, no one even cared about themselves. Life was miserable repetition.

Yet to that painfully blank canvas had come a small spec of red, a dot of blood, if you will. She was different. She was strong, independent, sturdy, unbreakable, unyielding. She had taken all of Los Noches off guard, and, working her way into their society, she had become a part of them. Indeed, if Aizen was the brains of Los Noches, then to the same extent, Soeluna was the heart. She was the crucial element that bound them together. Adding excitement to the dull monotony of this world, she had brought something with her that had changed the whole arrancar army.

They wouldn't say just what is was about the strange woman that drew them to her, but she had a certain charm that was almost otherworldly. It seemed everything about her was otherworldly and euphoric, from the way she talked to the far off look in her eyes. Still they had accepted her, though at times it seemed to the arrancars more like she had accepted them.

Grimmjaw continued to study the 'Desert Rose' of Los Noches, mulling over all that had happened in the last seven months since her arrival. He wasn't brought from his thoughts until he realized he was staring at her. Jerking his eyes away, he looked out the window, though he knew the redhead hadn't caught him watching her. Feeling a sense of awkwardness taking him over, he spoke.

"Aw, don't take it personally, Aizen doesn't really trust anyone," he pointed out nonchalantly. Soeluna didn't look up. Instead, she just nodded in agreement, knowing what the man said was true. Still though, it hurt.

"Anyway, I hear the Soul Society sent reinforcements to help that substitute soul reaper," she noted freely, changing the subject.

"Yeah, that bastard. I don't get what the big deal is about him. Even at his strongest I can fend him off without unsheathing my sword," Grimmjaw growled menacingly, showing he was more upset than he would like to let on.

"He's the one who gave you that scar though, didn't he?" Soeluna noted, pointing to the messy scar that lined down the man's well built torso. The ex-Sixth scowled, getting defensive at the subject.

"I kept it as a reminder to repay the little shit," he barked.

"Right, right," she agreed, not really mocking him, but something in her tone pissed the man off despite.

"Ya think it's funny or something!?" he snapped angrily, stomping up to her to stand over the woman intimidatingly, though he knew she'd never back down because of that.

"No," her answer was short and curt, holding nothing that might have been taken as sarcasm. Grimmjaw was taken aback as she turned to look up at him, staring him straight in the eyes with a blank gaze that revealed nothing.

"I actually side with you on this matter. Aizen should kill his enemies when he has the chance. Such a kindness as mercy will not be afforded to him should the tables be turned. He should have let you kill that boy." Grimmjaw just blinked, his mind blank with surprise.

He hadn't expected that. He had thought she would side with Aizen, something most people did. His fraccions had been the only people to ever openly side with him and now that they were gone, he was alone in a place filled with people who hated him. He was brought to as he realized the woman in front of him was staring him straight in the eyes, and he was staring back.

Jerking back, he scowled down at her, the innocence of her expression still surprising him.

"Well, maybe ya ain't all that dumb after all," he snorted turning to walk away. As he left the library and rounded the corner he heard the woman call after him.

"Take care." He didn't bother responding. Instead, he just snorted, rolling his eyes at the strange redhead that had somehow become entangled in his life.

_Well, there ya go. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read Beauty From Pain. I hope you all enjoyed it and I will try to have my next chapter up soon. Thank you. Bye. _


	11. Gift Refusing The Gifted

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning: **Some very mild gore-ish stuff. Well, not really "gore" but there is blood and it is not pretty and Grimmy's usual language.

_Well, here we are, chapter 11. I'm so excited! I'd like to thank everyone that has reviewed, especially kittcat 1995 and DontTryMe, ya guys rock. Yar support is what keeps me going. So, here ya go_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. –insert snappy comeback here-

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None can speak of a wound with skill, if he hath not a wound felt.  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 11. Gift Refusing The Gifted

Maybe he did it for the sense of power it gave him. Maybe it was a personal matter. It could even be because the power had already corrupted him. Or maybe he really was into men; he didn't seem too sure of his sexuality himself.

Whatever the reason was, Luppi sure seemed to enjoy picking on the former Sexta whenever the opportunity presented itself. Pestering him in the halls, ordering him to do meaningless tasks at random, the new Espada would even go as far as to pin the man to the wall, just to prove he could. Throughout it all, Grimmjaw was forced to just take it.

Soeluna had no doubt in her mind that the teal haired man could have taken the obnoxious Espada even without his left arm. However, the former Espada didn't seem to think so, or maybe he didn't want to get into further trouble with Aizen. Whatever the reason, the man was suffered to put up with Luppi's endless pestering.

At the moment, the new Sixth was tormenting the man by sending him searching for some nonexistent book that he claimed he wanted to read. By now Grimmjaw had, albeit begrudgingly, combed through one-third of the books in the library looking for it. Luppi was off lounging in a chair, basking in the sunlight as it poured through the large windows. Soeluna was helping one of the lower ranked arrancars find a book he was looking for while trying to manage her Espada, a task that any would consider impossible.

The small arrancar's gaze kept shifting pensively from her to the Espada, not sure whether it was really safe to stay. When she finally located the book, she gave it to him and briskly helped him out the door, making sure Luppi didn't notice him leave.

"Come on. You're so slow. I could have read it by now," Luppi whined, tossing his head back for dramatic effect. Grimmjaw just grumbled a few curse words under his breath as he moved on to another shelf. Giving a sigh, Soeluna just shook her head.

She really didn't like this. Sure, Grimmjaw probably deserved this, but she never did like seeing others being oppressed or treated cruelly. He may have been rude and hotheaded, but the ex-Espada had always been kind to his fraccions, even if he did have his own strange way of showing it.

Part of her wanted to speak up against what Luppi was doing, but then part of her thought of all the trouble the man had caused. She didn't know whose side to take, so she took neither. Continuing her work, she just kept telling herself that if things went too far she would end it.

So she didn't speak up when her Espada began to shoot personal insults at the other male. She tried to ignore it when he began to make lewd comments about him. Admittedly, she "accidentally" kicked his chair out from underneath him when the vulgar remarks had included her name, but other than that she resisted all urges to throttle the man.

After a while, the insults temporarily lessened. Luppi was left staring at the ceiling as he tried to think of new ways to annoy the former Sixth. Quiet and unnoticed, Soeluna slunk over to stand beside Grimmjaw as he searched the bookshelves, waiting till the case blocked them from Luppi's watchful eyes before speaking.

"Do you want any help?" Her voice was a low whisper as she glanced around the corner to make sure the new Espada wasn't listening in. When she turned her attention back to the man standing beside her, she was staggered to be met by the furious look that burned in the man's teal orbs.

"No! Now buzz off," he growled harshly, clenching his teeth as he stared down at her irately before turning back to the row of books in front of him. For the first time since she had met him, Soeluna was taken off guard by the man's anger. It startled her, maybe even scared her for the briefest of moments, but mostly, it just worried her. Leaning in, she moved slightly in front of him as she tried to get his attention, attempting to convey that she was only trying to help.

"A-are you sure? I mean, I could try and talk to hi-" With a loud bang, the whole bookshelf rocked as Grimmjaw whipped around, slamming his only hand down just to the right of Soeluna's head. Her heart leapt at how fast and how suddenly he had turned on her.  
Leaning in, his body was inches away from hers as he glared furiously down at her, every ounce of his aura emitting a white hot rage that surprised the woman. She could feel his angry hot breath on her face and the look he gave her would have killed anyone else. Moving in closer, he forced her to backup until she felt her back meet the bookcase. She was cornered, his arm to her left, blocking her exit as he leaned his left shoulder in, blocking off any chances of her slipping out the side that lacked and arm. There was no room to turn or move for that matter. Lowering his head till his face was inches away from hers, Grimmjaw stared her in the eyes, his gaze intense and his blood boiling.

For a moment, all Soeluna could do was stare back, unable to break away from his gaze as her mind focused on only him. She wasn't intimidated by him. She knew she could take him if it came down to it. It was more that she was taken aback at his actions. Why was he getting so extremely defensive and trying to scare her?

There was a slight rustling from the other side of the room. Forgetting about the man hovering an inch in front of her, the woman turned her head to see what the sound was. The last thing she needed was for Luppi to find them like that. He wasn't there. He must have still been back in his chair.

She heard a rather feral growl right by her ear, the humid breath landing on her skin, making her give a small gasp. Soeluna heard more than saw the man's right hand move from the bookshelf to take a forceful hold of her jaw.

Yanking her head about to face him, the man gave a snarl that revealed his sharp canines. His expression was of pure loathing, his eyes filled with an unholy fury that the woman just couldn't understand.

"Listen up, bitch," he snarled, his tone threatening and his hold on her chin painful. "I'm not in the mood for any of yar f***ing shit. First ya f***ing hate me and now ya wanna act like my guardian angel!? I don't buy it. So save the f***ing nice girl act for someone else and mind yar own damn business." He glared down at her heatedly for a moment or two, though it felt like a lot longer, before pulling away and stalking off to a different part of the library.

Soeluna watched him leave, unable to move till he had rounded the corner and was out of sight. _What was that?! _she thought, dumbfounded. She could understand him being frustrated and unsatisfied with his situation, but that was a bit over the top. He didn't needed to back her into a corner and try and intimidate her, but then again, that was the kind of thing he would do.

Sighing, she tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, shaking her head as she despaired or finding an explanation for the man's actions. She decided she would just have to talk to Gin about it later. He had been there when the man was created and had known him longer than she had. Maybe he could make sense of Grimmjaw's strange behavior.

Looking down, she noticed several books lay strewn across the floor. Soeluna surmised that they must have been knocked off the shelf when her former caretaker had slammed his hand down on the bookcase. Letting her shoulders drop, she permitted a bemused chuckle to escape her lips. _Heh, go figure. More books to put up. _Wearily, she went about the task of putting the books back, grumbling to herself every so often about the teal haired arrancar and his moods.

The next hour or so was rather uneventful. Luppi continued to torment Grimmjaw, and he, in turn, continued his foul mood. Soeluna was able to ignore it for the most part, till her effeminan man crossed the line, that is.

Grimmjaw was standing on the library's only ladder, combing one of the top shelves for the new Sexta's nonexistent book. The Espada was sitting back in his chair, watching the other idly while the redhead took care of some menial tasks about the room. As the teal haired arrancar leaned out to the side to read some book titles further down the row, the Sixth shot a small cero, no bigger than a marble, at the man's feet.

The blast hit somewhere between the sixth or seventh rung. With a snap, the one side of the ladder broke. It all happened in slow motion. At first the ladder just leaned slowly to the left, tilting as the wood creaked with the strain of its passenger's weight. Grimmjaw barely had time to realize what had happened before the wood snapped, folding over itself as it sent him crashing to the floor. The fall was painful enough, it didn't help that the ladder fell on top of him.

He gave a painful grunt, white hot static lacing every nerve, his brain reeled as he smashed onto the hard floor. Next the came the ladder. He felt the wind was nocked out of him as the large heavy object made impact with his chest.

Soeluna turned around just in time to see the latter part of the incident. Nonetheless, she knew instantly what had happened. She felt the anger gurgle up inside of her, rage lighting like a candle to make her blood boil as her eyes fell on the broken ladder.

"I thought cats always landed on their feet." Luppi's snickering came to her ears as a murderous intent overtook her. Whipping her head around, scarlet orbs glared piercingly at the petite man, though he didn't notice at first.

"That's it!" the shout made the Espada jump, startled by the level of the woman's anger. Feeling her shoulders go tense with rage, Soeluna lifted one arm to point towards the door.

"Get out!" she roared, baring her teeth at the man. His face went pale, his body freezing in fear. The woman had to chase him out, right on his heels as he scurried out of the room in deadly terror. When he finally managed to skitter out the door, the redhead promptly slammed it closed behind him, almost nailing him with it.

Grimmjaw leaned up, propping himself up on his only elbow. Looking down at the broken latter that lay across his lap, he heard the woman mutter bitterly under her breath.

"That lily-livered git! How dare he!? He broke my ladder!" Turning around, she stared angrily down at the busted mess of wood and splinters, not even noticing the man lying under them. Bending over and taking the smashed wood in hand, she lifted it up off the teal-haired arrancar without the slightest trouble. Eyeing the two pieces carefully, she sighed before placing them on a nearby table. Glancing back down, she, for the first time, noticed Grimmjaw laying there on the floor.

"Are you okay?" she asked sincerely.

"tch," he snorted, "Like ya give a f***." He tried to raise himself up on one arm, only to be lifted up off the floor as the woman grabbed two fistfuls of his shirt.  
"Yeah, I do give a damn! So tell me if you're alright and shut up! I am so sick to death of your mopey, woe is me act. Stop pouting like a child and deal with it!" Grimmjaw wasn't surprised. The woman had always been curt with him. She never did hold back to spare his feelings.

"Get yar damn hands off me! I don't need yar bitchin'! I can take care of myself. And I am not pouting!!" he snapped angrily, seizing one of her wrist with his only hand.

"Gaahh!!! You're so impossible!" she shouted, pushing him back as she let go of the man's shirt.

Soeluna stomped over to one of the tables and, yanking out a chair, fell back heavily into it.

"_I'm_ impossible? Ya're to one acting like a bitch!" he spat venomously.

"Man, what is your problem!?" she shouted, slamming her fist down on the table angrily.

"I'm not the one with the problem here, ya are!" he barked back heatedly.

"Me!?! What the hell have I done!?" she spat furiously.

"Ya're the reason that fag won't leave me alone! If you hadn't become his Aizen damn fraccion, I wouldn't be in this mess!"

"What the- I didn't _choose_ to be his fraccion!" Well, it was half true, she had told Aizen she would go with anyone. She just hadn't thought he'd put her with Luppi or that Luppi would turn out to be such a pain.

"Still, ya're Aizen's f***ing little pet! He'd probably give ya to someone else if ya f***ing asked him!"

"It's not like it matters! Even if I switch, you're still going to have to deal with Luppi, so don't take your problems out on me?" The man's face reddened with rage.

"Listen here, bitch!" He shouted stomping over and sitting down in the chair across form her. Both were leaning in as they glared heatedly at one another. "I'll do whatever the f*** I want! The only reason I haven't already killed ya is ,cause Aizen forbade it!"

"Oh, please!! You're just carrying a chip on your shoulder cause you lost your rank!" she shot back, feeling her blood boil in her veins with wrath.

"Well at least I don't have a brother that's trying to kill me!!"

With that she snapped. With a harsh snarl, she slammed her hand down on the table.

"I'm not the one who got my arm cut off!" she shouted back, pure anger fueling her words.

Grimmjaw stopped, a slightly bewildered or dumbfounded look expressed on his face. Sitting there, he just stared at her in disbelief. He hadn't expected that, hadn't expected she'd be that angry. It hadn't even crossed his mind that she would have cared so much about what he said. He was used to her being angry, but this was a different, a pure unrivaled rage that caused one to lash out with the coldest words of anger. Stillness came to fill the room as her words hung lingeringly in the air like an echo.

Soeluna's expression remained firm, yet she could not help but feel a twinge of guilt as the man's teal eyes pierced hers. Slowly, she began to feel that smidgen of shame churning in her, scratching away the anger as it grew. She realized she shouldn't have said it, but she couldn't bring herself to back down. Chock another dumb move up to foolish pride.

As they stared at each other, their gaze was locked. So many things were said, though no words were spoken. Finally, Grimmjaw's eyes became clouded, turning them a murky blue as he became detached from the woman's stare. A light scowl came to his face as he stood up from the table, looking down at her with the indifference that just doubled her self-reproach.

"Fine, whatever." His tone was bitter and spiteful as he glared at her. At this, Soeluna's expression softened and she knew she was wrong.

"Grimmjaw…" she whispered, trying to find the words to apologize, only to find a part of her pushing them aside, refusing to admit she was wrong.

Grimmjaw turned towards the door, but not before making one final glare at the redhead as she looked up at him with a mixture of regret and confusion. Clenching his fist, the man began to storm off, anger rising in him as he got farther and farther from the woman. At first, all Soeluna could do was watch him leave, unable to summon the words she needed, unable to call out to him. It wasn't until the other was across the room and had yanked the door open that she found her voice.

"Wait, Grimmjaw!" she bolted up and out of her seat, knocking her chair over as she darted to the retreating figure.

Just as Grimmjaw stepped over the threshold, Soeluna reached out, catching the wrist of his remaining arm with both of her hands. Pulling back, she attempted to arrest his movements as she tried to take back her words, hoping it wasn't too late. The disgruntled arrancar didn't stop walking as he dragged the woman along behind him, though she did slow him down some. They were now out in the hallway, something Soeluna was not happy with.

"I said wait!" she growled, feeling slightly annoyed at the man's lack of cooperation. Reaching up, she wrapped her right arm around the man's muscular upper arm and gave a pull. The male gave a lurch at this, taken aback at the woman's forwardness. Before he could resume walking with more force, however, the redhead began dragging him back through the doors and into the library.

Before Grimmjaw could react, he was thrown back into a chair, the redhead standing over him as if threatening to hurt him if he tried to get up. Giving an angry snarl, his gaze challenged her as he clenched his fist, leaning forward as he yelled at her.

"What the f***!? I get it, bitch! Ya want me gone-"

"Grimmjaw, I'm sorry!" she shouted over him, closing her eyes tight with frustration.

The man stopped cold, his eyes widening as he stared up at the woman. The window was behind her, causing her front to be cast in shadows. Despite this, he could still tell that her entire body was clenched and her expression made it very clear that saying that wasn't easy for her.

After a long silence, she slowly, almost hesitantly, opened her eyes to look down at him, slightly taken aback at finding his gaze directed straight at her. He was definitly surprised. His expression made that crystal clear, but something seemed to dart through the back of his eyes, something Soeluna couldn't identify.

"What did you say?" he asked airily. The muscles in her shoulders relaxed slightly, though she turned her head away from him.

"Are you really going to make me repeat myself?" she stated more than asked, her brows furrowed in irritation to desguise what she was really feeling. Despite the facade, Grimmjaw could tell she was relieved that he wasn't angry anymore.

"Tch, I don't get ya," he snorted.

"I'm not here for you to get," she replied with a good natured smile, one he just couldn't be annoyed at.

Sighing, he just shook his head at the woman, not surprised by her comment in the slightest. All the tension and all the irritation that had thickened the air but a few moments ago had completely vanished.

"You know…" she began, looking down at him in a way that wasn't really looking, more like she was drinking in his image. "I could get you your arm back." He froze and everything went still, as if all of time had stopped. Teal eyes stared unblinkingly down at the carpet, stunned as scarlet orbs took in his expression. Slowly, almost untrustingly, he lifted his head, looking up at her with a mixture of both astonishment and hope swirling in his ocean blue eyes.

"What did ya say?" he asked hesitantly, though his words seemed to withhold some subconscious excitement.

"Your arm, I could get it back," Soeluna replied, shrugging as if the whole matter was a casual thing.

"How?" he demanded, his expression growing stern as he sat up straight. The woman just glanced away, giving a small shrug as she tilted her head in a dismissive motion. Pulling up a chair, she sat down in front of the man.

"Take off your shirt," she stated as she reached over for a glass of water that sat on the table. Grimmjaw just raised an eyebrow at her, not obeying till she motioned for him to.

After his shirt was removed, which was not the easiest task to accomplish with only one arm, he draped it around the back of his chair. Turning around and sat tall in his seat as he waited for the woman to continue, an irked expression pressed into his features, the his mind was alert with excitement.

Holding her hand over the glass, the water began to churn, then, in one quick, decisive, and fluid motion, half the contents of the glass rose up out of its container to float under her hand. The liquid followed the movement of the woman's hand as she brought it over to the man's muscular chest. She herself did not actually touch the man, but the water went to fit over the large nasty scar that lined down his chest.

Nothing happened at first. They just sat there, the cool liquid chilling his skin as the woman concentrated on it in practiced detail. An uneasy feeling crept over the man as he sat there. The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand on end, like the feeling one gets when they realize something is sneaking up behind them. Suddenly, the water began to glow, causing everything around it to take on a light crystal blue hue as it gleamed.

The scar began to fade, disappearing as if someone was taking an eraser over it. Grimmjaw's eyes widened as he watched the remains of the scar disappear into clear skin. When the water was pulled away, there wasn't a blemish left, not even a trace. He rubbed his hands over the skin. It was smooth, no scratch or rough spot, nothing at all.

"I can do the same thing with your arm." The voice brought him out of his trance as his eyes jerked up to gawk at the redhead sitting before him. Snapping out of his shock, he gave a nod, not needing to exchange words to convey what he wanted.

Soeluna pulled some more water from the cup, draining it completely. Grimmjaw watched as the water enveloped the stub that was left of his left arm. The liquid felt cool against his skin, causing a strange tranquility to wash over him as he felt his muscles unclench. The redhead closed her eyes, holding her gloved hands over the water as it began to glow. The lights around them seemed to dim in comparison to the gentle glow that the water produced. Everything went smoothly at first.

Grimmjaw watched, eyes wide as physically possible as the flesh began to open, muscles and bones sprouting out like seedlings from the ground. First came the bone, extending out steadily as it became longer and thicker. Next were the veins and muscles, stretching out like vines as they weaved their way around the still growing bone.

It was an amazing sight, almost unreal, like it wasn't really happening to him. But the man's eyes were wrenched away from the sight as the woman gave a gasp of pain. Jerking his eyes up to stare at her, he could see clearly her expression was pained, and her breath hard and labored. She kept flinching, as if resisting some urge to pull away. Tan skin was glistening slightly with the sweat of her labor.

The man was confused. She was stronger than this. Why was this so hard for her? The answer came as Soeluna let out a sharp cry, her body jerking as if something had hit her. With a sound like tearing paper, three large gashes tore down her left arm, blood splattering out as the wounds continued to rip down her arm.

"What the f***!" Grimmjaw exclaimed. Gasping in pain, Soeluna's attention was snatched from the man as her right hand flew from the water to clutch the wound.

As soon as her hand had left his shoulder, everything stopped. The slashes down her arm flew back together, the water stopped glowing and fell to the floor, even Grimmjaw's arm receded back to its previous state in the blink of an eye. All the man could do was stare in utter confusion as the woman clutched her arm, panting as he furrowed his brows in irritation.

Teal eyes moved from the woman, to his stub of an arm, to the woman's now normal arm, and back to her face. He was at a loss for words, not sure what exactly had just happened, or whether it was even real or not. Soeluna regained her breath over the course of the next five minutes, not even bothering to open her eyes as she cursed herself.

"Dang," she finally said, though her eyes still remained closed, "I forgot how painful that is. Man…" When she finally opened her eyes, the first thing she did was check her arm. When she had determined that there was no damage, she raised her head to meet the man's confused and pensive gaze. He just stared at her incredulously, a variety of things flashing through his mind., but all he could get out was a "what the..".

Soeluna sighed, turning her head to the side so she could look out the window.

"The due has to be paid," she stated in a forlorn voice. Grimmjaw raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for further explanation.

"Flesh wounds, those are easy to heal. They would heal themselves with time, but permanent wounds, like lost limbs or handicaps…" she paused, turning to face him though she still could only look down at her own hands. "…those need to be accounted for. Wounds that could never be healed naturally can be healed by my powers, but in order to get something that has been lost, you must give something of equal value." Her voice was distant and cold, her expression blank as she studied her hands.

"So, what?" he began, still not completely understanding what she was saying, "If ya heal my arm back... ya lose yars?" He didn't know exactly how he felt about that. Part of him wanted his arm back and didn't care what it took, but another part of him wondered what Aizen would do if he found out the woman had lost her arm because of him. Luckily, the redhead shook her head 'no', tucking her hair behind her ear as she went to explain.

"No, that wouldn't be healing, just the transferring of a wound from one person to another. It's different each time. My arm might get all ripped up, I could break all the bones in my hands, all the flesh might even peel off, but because of the way my powers are, the wound I receive is never as bad or as permanent as the wound I heal." She gave a soft reassuring smile, but the man was not convinced.

"So, can ya heal yar own wound once ya've healed someone else's? Is that how it works? Transfer it from them to ya then get rid of it?" the question was straightforward and direct, taking Soeluna by slight surprise. She looked up at him, slightly confused by the intensity of the man's stare.

"Well, not quite. You see, once the wound is transferred to me, I have to heal naturally. The wound can not simply be erased. It just doesn't work like that," she explained awkwardly.

He didn't get it, but he didn't care. As long as he got his arm back, what did it matter.

"But ya won't be stuck with it, the wound, I mean, right?" he asked as his final question. Soeluna gazed at him blankly, her eyes barely hazing over as she seemed to retreat within herself. Several minutes went by without an answer, the two just sitting there in an alien silence that Grimmjaw didn't care too greatly for.

"There…has only ever been one wound that left any permanent damage… but that was far worse than any wound Tosen could have inflicted on you," she finally answered, looking off in another direction.

Part of him was curious as to what damage had been left, but that was pushed into the recesses of his mind as Soeluna leaned over, reaching out a hand to the wet spot on the carpet. With a slight flick of her wrist and a small tap of her fingers, the water seeped up from the carpet, coming to float under her hand. Lifting it up, she examined it closely, before again bringing it to the man's shoulder.

She hesitated for a moment before closing her eyes. Again, the water began to glow, and again, the miraculous growth began. It was faster this time, but then, so was the consequence…

Soeluna flinched as the tears once more began to claw down her arm, her healing of the man's arm temporarily slowing. However, this time she did not stop, instead, she continued to heal him.

Blood trickled down her arm, as the healing was almost to the elbow. She stifled a gasp as the gauges grew in both length and with. They were past his elbow. Small scratches and bruises began to form all over the skin of her left arm, half way through his forearm. The skin began to pedl back, a horrible singed smell filling the air, like burning flesh.

As the healing reached his wrist, her skin began to visibly burn. Not like it was on fire or anything, but one could see the loose edges curl and shrivel as they turned black and flaky with a low hissing sound.

At this, she stopped. Making sure the healing was held in place so she wouldn't have to start over, she laxed her form as much as was possible for a person in as much pain as she. Panting heavily, her breath came in wheezes, sweat dripping down her in hot beads. The salty liquid stung the gashes and cuts on her arm and the still smoldering flesh didn't help any.

Grimmjaw just watched as the woman closed her eyes against the pain. Her frame gave an almost unnoticeable tremble, despite her attempt to hold it in. Her whole arm tingled with pain, a feeling like someone was endlessly stabbing hundreds of needles into her wounds. It was a horrible wrenching pain like her heart would burst form the strain. It was like her arm would rip off if she held it up any longer.

It hurt. Oh Aizen, it hurt. She tried to ignore it, force it out of her mind, but the pain was too strong. It forced, it wrestled its way into her thoughts. Any lesser mind would have snapped, but she couldn't afford such weakness.

Grimmjaw remained silent at first, just watching as the woman fought with the pain. As time passed however, he found his patience growing thin.

"Jeez, ya're stronger than this." But she was, wasn't she? She was always strong and independent, maybe that was why he didn't think of her as feeling pain.

Soeluna grumbled under her breath at the tone the man took with her, but straightened up as best she could without wincing at the pain that shot like static bolts up her arm.

Buckling down and focusing as much as she could, the water once more began to glow. The healing was slower this time but she kept up a steady pace as the flesh, bone, muscles and all components of the arm once more began to grow forth from nothing.

She bit her lip against the pain, yet remained resilient and continued the healing. Every time the idea of stopping flickered through her mind, she simply thought of life with Luppi, and that gave her the motivation to keep going.

She hated the man, even more than the she did Grimmjaw, though she would have never thought that possible. Maybe her motive for doing this was to get the man his rank back. She herself didn't know exactly why she was helping him; she just was, though a part of her was grateful that the man wasn't questioning it either.

As she came to the fingers, blisters and boils began to form all over her arm, making the pain worsen if it was at all possible. She hissed, but kept going, working past the pain to finish up the man's arm. The fingernails were the last thing to grow back and as their jagged edges came to the right length, Soeluna pulled back, grasping her arm as the water fell to the ground.

There it was, Grimmjaw's left arm, exactly as it had been before. Not a hair out of place, every muscle just as strong. It really was a miracle, one some might have said was wasted on the arrogant man. As the woman sat slouched and panting in her seat, the man ignored her completely, not even bothering to take note of her wounds.

Flexing his arm, he stared at it impassively, his gaze clouded over as he was deep in thought. Soeluna was slightly irked by his lack of reaction, but kept it to herself as she watched him. Grimmjaw continued to inspect his arm for a few more minutes before tuning back to her, his face devoid of expression.

"Aizen's sent me on another mission," he stated absentmindedly. Glancing at him, the woman's expression was slightly perturbed as she asked her question.

"And of what relevance is this?" Her tone was blank, though a glint of anger flickered through her eyes.

"He wants us to go and serve as a diversion while Ulquiorra retrieves that one girl with the weird powers that stood up to Yami last time," he explained.

Soeluna briefly recalled the busty young orange-haired human from the Cuarta's report. Her powers were strange, but nothing Soeluna had thought to be of particular interest. She generally found that whenever humans managed to develop spiritual powers, they were often odd and unusual abilities. Human bodies just didn't have the capacity to house spiritual powers like shinigami or arrancars did. They just weren't built for it.

"What does Aizen plan on doing with this human?" she asked casually.

"Who knows, but the reinforcements the Soul Society sent will be there..." he informed, leaving the sentence open to hang vaguely in the air.

"Of what importance is that," she stated slightly irritably.

"They're the ones that killed my fraccions- D-Roy, Ilfort, Shawlong, Edorad, Nakim. I just thought ya might want to come along, ya know, pay 'em back." Soeluna was surprised by the man's suggestion.

Revenge had never crossed her mind. Avenging her friends' deaths? She could do it, she was strong enough, but an eye for an eye made the whole world go blind.

"So, ya coming or what?" he spat somewhat impatiently. She just looked up at him, not sure how to put her answer into word.

_Ha ha, cliffhanger! How ya like them apples!? Anyway, that was chapter 11. Hope you liked it. Remember to review. Thank you to everyone that is actually reading this. See ya next chapter. Love yall. _


	12. Return Of The King

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning: **Some very mild violence and Grimmy's usual language.

_When I started writing this chapter, I thought is would be a boring one, but as I went through it I just kept adding on more and more important, plot progressing things, that it actually turned out to be a really cool chap. Grimmy and Soeluna seem to be in a love/hate relationship, meaning they love to hate each other. Will those two ever get along?_

_Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I was grounded for some time there and just now was able to update. I have up to chapter 17 written, I just have to get them edited. Unfortunately, I have lost two of my editors, so there may be a few errors in here, I'm hoping to find some people to replace them soon so please stay with me and overlook and grammar or spelling mistakes you may find. Thank you, and sorry for the wait._

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach, but that doesn't stop me from molesting Grimmjaw every chance I get. B3

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He is strong who conquers others; he who conquers himself is mighty.

-Lao-Tzu-  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 12. Return Of The King

She met Grimmjaw at the specified time, 4:30, in the library, as he had told her to. She didn't understand why she had to be so secretive about it. She was Luppi's fraccion; he was probably planning to take her along anyway.

Nevertheless, she came. Grimmjaw had his usual scowl on as he sat slumped back in one of the couches lining the library wall. Soeluna hadn't brought any weapons, any supplies, just herself. She wasn't really coming to fight or to get revenge. The only reason she was tagging along with the man was simply because she wanted out. Since she had been stuck in this white world that Aizen had built for over seven months now, she was beginning to forget what the rest of the world looked like.

Needless to say, she was somewhat excited by the prospect of getting out and, as they say, breathing the fresh air. Los Noches was fine and all, she had friends and people that cared about her, but still, as much of a 'home' as it had become to her, part of her still felt like a bird trapped in a cage. It would be nice to get out and see what had been going on in the world, even if it was only for a short time.

Her thoughts were pulled from her fancies as the man stood up, grumbling something about her being late which she ignored for the most part. Teal eyes looked her over, giving her a questioning glance when they were met by no weapon.

"I'm not coming to fight. I just want to look around," she explained with a shrug of her shoulders. The man just rolled his eyes, turning to open a hole in the fabric of space and time.

It looked a lot like someone had unzipped a zipper in the middle of the room. The edges pulled back wide to allow them passage, while the other side held only darkness. Grimmjaw motioned for the woman to follow him as he stepped through the opening. Without a moment's hesitation, she did.

The passage was rather similar to the portals she made, the only difference being that these were more like a black tunnel. As she stepped through, the opening behind her closed and everything was consumed by darkness. For the longest moment all was silent and all was still.

The darkness didn't unnerve her like it would most. She was quite accustomed to the dark and rather enjoyed it. Though she couldn't see anything in the thick blackness, her other senses gradually became more acute, allowing her some details on what was going on around her.

If she were to label this world between the worlds, she would have called it nothing, for it was truly the absence of all things. There was nothing here which the five senses could recognize, other than that which they had brought with them. There was no light of any kind, and the air was neither warm nor cold. No odor could be found in this dark world, and, though many do not think of air as having a taste, this place definitely did not. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of her companion shifting his weight uneasily from one foot to another and the soft rhythm of their breathing.

As she listened closer, concentrating on the only noise that could be found in this emptiness, she could swear she could even hear his heart beating. It was a little faster than it should have been for just standing there, but then again, there was a variety of variables that could play into this. It could be that the man, like most, found this absence of everything unnerving and that was what was causing his heart to beat slightly faster. Or, perhaps, it was the excitement of the upcoming battle that caused his heart to beat in anticipation. This was the most likely option. Or, maybe it was something else entirely. As she listened to the rhythmic tempo, she was reminded of an old song she used to sing while doing her chores.

Without realizing it, she began to hum. Though she couldn't see it, the man that accompanied her was giving her an unsure look as her melody broke the absolute silence. Then, suddenly, he reached out, groping around in the darkness till he got a hold of the woman's arm.

She instantly became quiet, glancing down at her arm before lifting her gaze to the man's face, though she could see neither of the two. The man stepped closer to her, leaning in as he growled next to the redhead's ear, almost head butting her in the darkness.

"Hey... I know I may not have said it and all, but... thanks for my arm. I mean... I don't want to seem like a total jackass who isn't appreciative of what ya did for me. I mean, that's why I brought ya. To repay ya and all. I mean, don't think I'm going soft or nothin' it's just-"

"Grimmjaw," she interrupted his ramblings. "It's ok. Thank you." The man became slightly flustered, but quickly regained himself.

"Yeah, well, just thought I'd mention it. Ya know, just, yeah," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, though she couldn't see it.

Soeluna chuckled to herself at how hard it was for the man to give a simple thank you. Obviously it wasn't something he was used to doing. Briefly, she wondered if that meant he wasn't used to being helped. How sad, to be so unused to being shone kindness.

"Get ready," he commanded, releasing her arm to turn forward in anticipation.

Not a second after he had turned from her, a brilliant whiteness assaulted her eyes, forcing her to close them against the blinding brightness. Shielding her eyes with her hands, she barely managed to squint against the glow. It took several moments for her eyes to adjust to it, but when she did, she noticed that the glow really wasn't that bright. The light didn't reach far into the void before the darkness consumed it. Compared to the pitch blackness they had become accustomed to, the lights were blinding, but the fact that it was mid day probably didn't help any.

"Well, if it isn't Grimm-kitty. Glad you could join us," an all too familiar voice snickered from the other side of Grimmjaw.

Soeluna was on Grimmjaw's right, and currently the man was blocking her view of the speaker, though she knew who it was. Leaning forward, she peered around the teal haired arrancar, her gaze being met by the three other figures that stood on the man's other side.

"Hey, Misfit, what are ya doing here?" Yami was the only person who still referred to her as Misfit, but then again, he had been the one to first call her that.

The large Espada stood second to the right, a short blond haired boy just beyond him, staring out in the opposite direction with a rather dazed or detached expression on his face. His mouth hung open and his eyes half lidded and blank as they gazed off into nothing. Soeluna had never seen him before, but then, there were many arrancars she hadn't seen. Los Noches was a gargantuan place and arrancars just seemed to come out of the woodwork.

Standing coyly beside Grimmjaw and to Yami's right was Luppi. His shallow lavender eyes flicked from the teal haired male to the redhead mischievously, a sly smirk laced about his lips. Needless to say, Soeluna was less than pleased to see her 'superior', though she couldn't say it surprised her. Looking down, the redhead noticed some stunned looking shinigami staring up at them.

As the other arrancars moved out of the way of the closing portal, Grimmjaw sped off in another direction, away from the shinigami that stood before them. This caught the woman off guard.

"Grimmjaw!" she called, starting after him.

"Luna, let him go. He's worthless anyway," Luppi stated nonchalantly. Scarlet orbs glanced back at her leader, then back at the former Sexta's retreating figure as it grew smaller in the distance. Clenching her fist she muttered a curse under her breath before speeding off in the direction of the teal haired arrancar.

She heard her superior calling after her, but chose to ignore him as she chased after the other man. It wasn't hard for her to catch up with him. It wasn't like he was even trying to outrun her. As she came to his side, Grimmjaw spared her a fleeting glance before his usual arrogant grin grew about his lips.

"Ain't that fag going to miss ya in battle?" he sneered, his stab met by her own sly smile.

"Eh, he can take care of himself, and even if he can't, it's not him I'm worried about." The remark didn't even faze him as he kept up his pace.

"Just don't get in my way, or I'll be cutting ya down as well." With that the two went silent as they sonido-ed off to whereever it was Grimmjaw wanted to go. Neither one of them could possibly have know what was to come.

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Blue hair rustled as wind swept through it, blowing it back as the figure flew through the air like a bullet. As she came to her destination, she slowed, stopping to stand on a boulder as deep blue eyes stared up at the battle going on above her.

"Captain Hitsugaya, do you need any assistance?" a soft voice shouted up in an attempt to get the boy's attention.

"No. Two other arrancars went off in that direction. I think they are after Ichigo. Go to him. He'll need your help," the short white haired shinigami ordered at the figure below him. The figure gave a nod, turning to the direction the man pointed in.

"Hai, captain." The figure became a blur of blue and black as she race off to assist the substitute shinigami.

Jumping from roof top to roof top, the wind whipped her short blue locks around as the body covered a vast distance in but a few seconds.

Smoke could be seen off in the distance as the battle raged on. She didn't know the orange-haired substitute soul reaper personally, but she knew Rukia was fond of him, and her captain, Zaraki Kenpachi held the boy in high regard. She hadn't gotten the chance to fight the boy when he and his friends had invaded the Soul Society, but what did that matter.

She was looking forward to fighting the arrancar. They were a strong bunch and would present quiet the challenge if she was lucky. Old man Yamimoto hadn't sent her till after the second batch of arrancars had invaded and tried to kill the substitute shinigami and his friends, as well as the reinforcements they had sent.

As she neared the battle site, she could distinguish Ichigo with his head of bright orange hair, fighting some blue haired man who she assumed was one of the arrancar Hitsugaya had warned her about. The man wore a white uniform, though as she drew nearer, she could make out sprinkles of red that she surmised were blood, Ichigo's blood, and she was right.

The boy was bleeding pretty badly, with cuts along his arms and a large slash mark down his chest. She just shook her head at how foolish the boy was. Really, going into battle with two arrancar by oneself, did he want to die?

However, as she looked around, standing on a chimney as the battle played out in front of her, she saw no sign of the second arrancar she had been warned of. Maybe they split up, she shrugged, jumping down as she headed to the boy's rescue.

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Soeluna sat on a nearby roof, watching as Grimmjaw toyed with the shinigami boy like a cat with a mouse. It was clear that the boy stood no chance against the arrancar, but still, he had stood his ground and fought. She had to give him credit. He was either amazingly brave or foolish as hell. Either way, he would be dead in a few minutes, so it really didn't matter.

She watched as the boy pulled a hollow mask out of nowhere. Grimmjaw seemed surprised, but she wasn't. She had seen this before. He was a vizard, a shinigami that had acquired hollow powers. They were rare, but not unheard of.

She hadn't ever actually seen one, but she knew what they were. Chuckling to herself at the stunned look on Grimmjaw's face, she leaned forward as she watched with rapt interest.

Maybe this boy would prove a threat, but only if he was allowed to continue growing in strength. She shook her head, thinking Aizen really should have killed him earlier on. He still wasn't strong enough to actually defeat any of them, but in about a month he had more than doubled the control he had on his powers. Not that it mattered now, since Grimmjaw would undoubtedly kill him as revenge for losing his arm and his rank.

She stifled a chuckle as the boy blasted the arrancar with his bankai, a black stream of energy engulfing the man as he moved to block the attack. The boy seemed surprised when the dust settled and Grimmjaw was still standing. He was covered in blood and gashes, but Soeluna could tell it looked worse than it actually was. The boy was in trouble though, because the teal haired arrancar sure looked pissed.

"Ya son of a bitch!" he shouted, raising his sword above his head, but was stopped by an indiscernible blur of blue and black that shot through the air.

Suddenly, a girl appeared, standing on the tip of his blade raised high above his head.

"Need any help, carrot top?" the figure chirped in an adorable little voice. Grimmjaw's balance was offset by the added weight to his sword, causing him to stagger backwards.

As he toppled back, the figure leapt up into the air, landing neatly beside the orange haired shinigami. As Soeluna got a good look at the other, she gasped, leaping to her feet as her stomach churned and folded over on itself.

Standing there next to the boy soul reaper was a female shinigami. To any other, the sight might have seemed comical, even hilarious. The girl was almost half the boy's height. She couldn't have even been four feet.

Her features were soft and youthful, the innocence about her seemed to appropriately fit her childlike body. She wore a shinigami uniform that matched the boy's. Her black gi was pressed and neat, her obi tied into a perfect little bow as it held her hakama up. The dark black of her uniform paled her skin by comparison, though it already seemed lighter than one's skin should be.

Her hair was short, coming down only to her shoulders where it there split off into messy strands. She almost looked like she could be Grimmjaw's little sister. If it weren't for her cheery smile and bright charisma, she might have been. Her hair was a dark blue, like the night sky at midnight, and the stars seemed to twinkle in her eyes, which were also a luscious blue. Though her expression was childlike and innocent, she held herself like a woman, tall, or at least as tall as she could, and strong.

She wore a small bandage around her left hand and a bracelet that was adorned by a small brown stone. If one looked closely they might notice what appeared to be a small black rod, only an inch in length, sticking out of her throat. Unlike the boy, she did not carry a zonpakuto with her. In fact, she didn't have any weapons at all on her.

"Who are you?" the orange haired shinigami asked in confusion as she looked down at the young girl.

"Soul Society sent me, as backup after the last arrancar attack. I'm in Kenpachi's squad," she chirped.

"Wha? You're in the eleventh squad?! But I thought that was a fighting squad," the boy shouted disbelievingly.

"I am and it is. Never judge a book by its cover. Oh, look, he's up," she twittered, turning to face Grimmjaw as he got to his feet, anger written all over his face.

"Ya bitch! Who the hell are ya!?" he barked aggressively, pointing his sword at the smiling girl.

"That is none of your concern, arrancar. So, where is your partner. There were two of you, weren't there?" His rage only grew as the childlike shinigami dismissed him to scan the area for the other arrancar.

With a growl, he turned to glare at the roof Soeluna was on. She wasn't there. He didn't bother trying to trace her retsu, considering she didn't have any.

"Grr. Woman, get down here and fight this one! My business is with the boy!" No response. "Oi, ya listening!? Get yar ass down here and fight her, Soeluna, ya bitch!!" he hollered, his patience nonexistent at this point.

Still no response. From behind the chimney, the redhead went rigid, cursing under her breath.

"Grimmjaw, you idiot."

"Did you say… Soeluna?" a voice murmured airily.

Turning, Grimmjaw's smirk grew as he noticed that for the first time since she had arrived, the girl did not have a smile laced about her lips.

"Yeah, ya know her or something?" He was feeling arrogant, pleased at finding something that got to the girl. "Long red hair, red eyes, a royel pain in the-"

"Grimmjaw, you moron!!!" In a flash, Soeluna whipped around from behind the chimney.

Flying down, she shot like a bullet from a gun, crashing straight into the man before he could even turn. Tackling him, they both tumbled across the ground, coming to lay sprawled out in a heap on the concrete when they finally stopped. Not wasting any time, Soeluna jumped to her feet, throwing a stunned Grimmjaw over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Snatching up his sword, she began to sonido away, bare feet smacking against the pavement as she carried them as far away from the two shinigamis as possible. She never looked back, never turned her head, never slowed, and never even heard Grimmjaw's protest.

"Oi! What the f*** are you doing!?! The fight's that way! Go back! I ain't running from that bastard and his little bitch!" But she wasn't listening. She just kept going and going, escaping being the only thing her mind would focus on.

She finally stopped, miles away from the battle spot, taking shelter in the shade of a large brick wall that eclipsed them from the sky, hiding them from any pursuers. With the man still slung over her shoulder, Soeluna leaned against the wall in a way that she didn't crush her passenger. Feeling her legs go weak, she slid down the wall, collapsing in a heap on the ground. Puffing and panting, she forgot all about the man she carried as she closed her eyes and let the cool breeze wash over her warm skin.

Grimmjaw was still cursing and struggling as he pushed against the wall. The woman wasn't giving any effort to restrain him, so it was with ease that he slipped off her shoulder and moved to squat in front of her, leaning over her angrily as he showed her he was not happy.

"What the f*** was that!?" he spat, grabbing her hair and yanking back to make her look him in the eyes. She was still breathing hard, but she had regained herself slightly. Scarlet orbs were glossy and slightly hazed over, as if she was about to cry. He was slightly confused by this, but continued to glare at her unforgivingly.

"I was fighting that boy. What? Ya think I couldn't have handled him? I got news for ya, woman, I could handle that boy even without my other arm. I don't run from any fight," he snarled, leaning in to give his words emphasized as his eyes burned into her like a raging blue fire.

"It wasn't..." she muttered between gasps. Though she couldn't feel it, the man was letting out an extraordinary amount of retsu as his rage overtook him. "wasn't- the boy I was- worried about..." she finished, turning her head away from the man's piercing gaze.

"So, what? That girl? She was the one ya was worried about?" he snorted disbelievingly, turning her head forcefully back to him. "Heh, ya're weaker than I thought if that little child intimidates ya," he stabbed.

"She doesn't intimidate me," Soeluna shot back. "But I know there is no way you could have taken her." Grimmjaw's face went blank, blood boiling, his mind on fire as the remark came as a direct stab to his pride.

Pulling back, he let go of the woman's hair, before bringing his fist around to crash into her left cheek. The redhead gasped as she was sent toppling over to hard concrete. At first she gave no reaction, too shocked at the man's response to even look up at the furious arrancar that now hovered over her.

"Listen here, bitch!" he spat aggressively. "Ya've got a lot to learn if ya think that little whelp could best me! How dare ya even suggest that! I ought to bash yar head in for such an insult!" As he yelled at the woman, she seemed to be off in another world from him, not comprehending what was going on until, finally, she turned her head to look up at the irate man.

Something dark red flickered through her eyes. That was all the warning he got. Her leg pulled up suddenly, lashing out as her foot caught the man square on the neck. With a sickening choked cry, the man flew backwards, landing in a coughing, sputtering heap as the woman leapt to her feet. In an instant, she was standing over him, another kick being delivered to his stomach before she spoke.

"Don't you ever think you can lay a hand on me! You arrogant pig! How dare you! I just saved your worthless hide back there! And this is how you repay me!? You may not be able to see it, but she is a thousand times more powerful than you! If you tried to fight her, it would be a fool's death!" As she yelled at him, she rolled him onto his back so that he was looking up at her. Anger was still the predominant controlling emotion, but it was still obvious that he was surprised by the woman's swift response.

He moved to get up, but was shoved back down by the woman's foot on his shoulder. Grimmjaw gave a grunt as his back hit the concrete. Her eyes were darkening, as was her aura. Something about her made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, his stomach churning in response to something he couldn't understand.

"Spare me your pride. She would kill you with da slightest of ease! You are strong, I'll admit that, but there are those who are stronger than you! And she is one of them! Are ya so blind that ya can't see that much!?!" Squatting down, she seized the man by his shirt, pulling him forward so that their faces where inches apart as she gave him a look that kindled something in him that was as close to fear as he had felt in a long time.

Her expression was harsh and enraged, the same as the face she usually mae when Grimmjaw went too far. Then again, this look was nothing like the previous looks she had given him. This one unnerved him, making the man uncomfortable and anxious as he squirmed to get out of her grasp, but she didn't give an inch.

It was something in her eyes; he didn't like it. Something deep down in him, some primal instinct that had been with man since the dawn of time, was telling him to get away, telling him to run. It sent shivers though the course of his body. He felt his heart begin to race. He felt her eyes boring into him, her grip was tight on his shirt, her lips pulling into a wicked leer. Now, for what may have been the first time in Grimmjaw Jaggerjack's life, he knew how it felt to be hunted, to be the one running, to be… the prey.

The woman's face twisted into a hungry, sadistic, almost bloodthirsty sneer, like a predatory amusement in others' pain. Her eyes, they were like demon eyes. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't, like a mouse caught in a cobra's trance.

She began to lean in, her lips parted as her hot breath washed over his face. His instincts were telling him to get away, to scoot back, not to let the distance between them close, but he couldn't move. He couldn't stop it. As their faces grew closer, her lips drew into a little smirk that chilled the man. There was almost no space between them now, Grimmjaw felt his heart was pounding in his chest, his eyes wide as electric blue orbs stared into blood red ones.

Just as they touched, something snapped in the woman's eyes. Her expression dropped as she stared blankly at him for a second, before her brows furrowed, her gaze darting between his eyes. She looked confused. All the malice was gone. The malevolence that had sent shivers down his spine had vanished completely from her face.

Swiftly, she shoved the man away, standing abruptly as she stared down at him, bewildered. Grimmjaw just gawked back up at her, frozen in his emotions, not sure whether to be relieved or worried. The woman opened and closed her mouth as if to speak, but no sounds came out. When words escaped her, she spun around, taking a few brisk steps away from the man as she brought her hands up to clasp over the stone that hung on her neck.

The man still didn't move, not sure quite how to react. He had no clue what had just happened, and a part of him didn't want to stick around to find out. Still though, he couldn't help himself.

"What was that," he breathed in utter disbelief.

"None of your business," she snapped back with a bitterness that surprised him, turning to glare at him over her shoulder. This slightly irked the man, though not to the extent it would have on any other circumstance.

"What the hell!" he spat, pulling himself to his feet and walking over to the woman. He didn't touch her. The affects of what had just accrued still lingered with him, but he did manage to get himself together enough to raise his voice to her. "Ya looked like ya were going to f***ing eat me! I think it is my damn business! Ya've been acting real strange lately! What the f*** is with ya!?! Ya can at least tell me if something is f***ing bothering ya-"

"**I said iz none o' yar businezz!!" s**he roared, whirling around to throw the larger man against the wall as her right hand seized the man's throat.

She wasn't playing around. Her grip was so tight it completely sealed off Grimmjaw's airway as she raised him off the ground. He clawed at her arm desperately, unable to wrench her hand from his throat. The hold she had on him only tightened in response, causing a choked gasp to escape the man as his lungs fought for air.

Her face was twisted in rage and hate as her eyes darkened, something flashing dangerously through the back of them. The fringes of his mind began to tingle as unconsciousness began to eat at him.

Suddenly, whatever it was that had burned in her eyes went out. Her face fell blank again, the blood tinting once more fading from her eyes as she stared at him, taking in everything before her. Just as he thought his lungs would burst, Soeluna seemed to come to.

The man fell to the floor in a gasping sputtering heap as she released him. The woman jerked her hand back, holding it close to her as she stared at it almost as if in confusion. Grimmjaw just clasped his own throat with his left hand, reaching out to seize his sword readily with the other. Even though the very angry and very vengeful man now had the weapon pointed at her, the woman never even bothered to look down.

She just stared at her hand, the emotions on her face unreadable, not that the man really tried that hard to begin with. As he began to regain himself, the shaken male pulled himself to his feet, doing his best to steady himself. When he had, the woman was still staring, as if in a trance, at her hand. Reaching out, a large calloused hand seized her by the back of the neck, pulling her forward as his blade was brought to her throat.

"Bad move," he snarled, tightening his grip. Blinking, scarlet orbs moved to look up at him, in a daze as if noticing him for the first time. This only succeeded in pissing him off even further. Raising his fist, Grimmjaw moved to strike her right in the face, but in one clear and decisive move, the woman reached out and, grabbing his arm, flipped the man over in midair.

He landed with a heavy thud and a deep groan, feeling the wind knocked out of him for the second time that day. He was really getting tired of this.

"Count your blessings you won't be fighting her today. Maybe if your lucky… you'll never have to," she muttered more to herself than him.

As Grimmjaw stood, preparing to bark something back or maybe attack, he was stopped by a slim hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he was met by two apathetic green eyes.

"Our work is done here," he stated monotonely. The teal haired man gave a deep growl, but sheathed his sword, turning to face the superior as he grumbled something too quietly for Soeluna to make out.

Ulquiorra opened a portal with a slight flicking motion of his wrist, and then they were gone.

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Up close, the human girl was more voluptuous then Soeluna remembered. She had long orange hair that reached down to her hips, two blue snowflake shaped hair pins right above her ears to hold the hair back. Her dark brown eyes shifted back and forth pensively, taking in the scene around her with an anxious uncertainty. She was very meager and withdrawn, Soeluna almost felt sorry for her.

She remembered what it was like when she had first awakened to find a pink haired scientist standing over her, a sword at his side. How arrancars had seemingly come from no where when she had tried to run. People chasing her, yelling, shouting at her, she couldn't understand them, she was lost, didn't know her enemies from her friends. It had been horrible and because of the time, she hadn't been able to use her powers.

Yes, she knew exactly how this girl must feel. The only difference was that she had the escape plan of holding out till her powers came back, but this girl would never be strong enough to escape on her own.

All the Espadas, Aizen, Gin, Tosen, Soeluna, Grimmjaw, and the human were assembled in the thrown room. They stood awaiting their leaders orders as he inspected the girl. However, when he spoke, it was not the human that he addressed.

"Well, Grimmjaw, however did you get your arm back?" Aizen asked in a lazy tone, his expression relaxed, though curiosity glinted in his eyes. Everyone save Grimmjaw, Soeluna and the human girl, spun around to stare at the man's perfectly normal arm. He just raised an eyebrow, shrugging his shoulders dismissively.

"The woman healed it for me," he answered casually. Aizen smirked.

"Oh, really. How interesting. I do not remember telling you to accompany Ulquiorra when he went to fetch the human," Aizen mused, his tone lazy but something threatening lay under the surface. Grimmjaw looked slightly confused.

"She didn't heal me. That one did," he stated, pointing to Soeluna, who stood casually off to the side. Everyone just stared. The human girl was confused, glancing around nervously as the sense of alienation washed over her. Gin looked slightly surprised, if you could tell through that mask of a smile he wore. Nnoitra looked confused as he watched the woman. Ulquiorra was his usual apathetic self and Luppi had a look of sear panic etched into his face.

The new Sexta had failed to take note of that small detail earlier, and now, was distraught over the various possible outcomes of the situation. Aizen just bowed one of his pencil thin eyebrows at the woman, his gaze inquiring. Soeluna shifted her stance, standing tall and proud as she looked up to meet the man's eyes confidently.

"Is that true?" Aizen finally spoke, shifting to prop his chin on his hand as he leaned on the arm of his chair. The woman gave a nod, aware of all the eyes on her but only focusing on the two chocolate spheres of her leader's. The man gave an amused smile. Though he was used to her confidence and bravery, it always seamed to impress him.

"How intersection. It seems we now have two healers among us." He stated, changing his gaze from the redhead to the orange-haired human that stood sheepishly in the center of the throne room.

"Orihime Inoue. That is your name, is it not?" he asked coyly.

"Yes," the girl mumbled, not meeting the man's eyes as they looked down upon her.

"I am sorry to rush you, but... Orihime..." releasing a small portion of his retsu, he directed it at the girl. Even though Soeluna couldn't feel it, she could tell it wasn't enough to have any effect on the arrancar in the room, but it seemed to be crushing the human. She looked like all the strength was being drained form her, her breathing was labored and a cold sweat broke out on her clear skin, "will you show me that power of yours?" Aizen asked, though it was clear that 'no' was not an option.

"There are a few here," he continued, "who are not completely convinced of the value of your powers. Is that not right... Luppi?" he asked, turning to face the petite Espada.

The man looked irritated and deeply irked as he stared back up at his leader.

"That's right," he stated, turning his gaze to the woman. "Our battle... was just a diversion to get one stupid girl? How could she be worth it?" he grumbled, a scowl present on his girly face.

"I am sorry. I did not think you would get injured so severely," Aizen mused tauntingly, reminding the other who he answered to. Luppi sulked angrily, but said nothing.

"Well, I was planning to have Orihime demonstrate her powers by healing Grimmjaw's left arm, but since it appears our little guest has already done that... maybe it would be appropriate to have her heal our little Misfit's left arm."

Soeluna briefly wondered why he had not called her by her name, but that thought was pushed aside as everyone turned to stare at her.

Her whole left arm was wrapped in bandages, the wounds still fresh from healing Grimmjaw but a few days ago. The wrappings lined all down her arm, starting around her shoulder and disappearing under her black glove.

No one asked how she had gotten the wound and she knew none would be able to correctly guess how she had come about it.

"Granted, it may not be a proper demonstration of your abilities, Orihime, but it will have to do for the moment," Aizen concluded, watching as the human turned towards the slightly surprised redhead.

Holding her hands out over the wounded arm, two parts of one of the girl's snowflake hair pins split off and moved to form a glowing shield over Soeluna's arm. The redhead watched curiously as the human spoke.

"I reject," she stated, and with that the shield began to glow brighter. The female arrancar could feel the wounds mending themselves under the bandages. In a matter of seconds, it was finished.

The shield disappeared, the two pieces of the hairpin returning to the whole as she stepped back from the bewildered woman. Though she didn't have to, Soeluna removed the bandages to get a clear look at the freshly healed skin. It was all healed, not a mark left. Even the old scares that had covered her arm were gone. She had to admit, she was impressed.

"And now that we have seen what Orihime is capable of… it is only right that we see just what these strange powers of yours are, my dear." Aizen stated, interrupting Soeluna's thoughts.

Looking up at him, she saw that he was smiling, one of his brows raised in curiosity as he watched her. Giving a nod, she stepped forward and into clear few. The redhead exchange glances with Grimmjaw. No one knows how, but some how the man seemed to get the message she was sending him.

Not a word was spoken as she motioned for the teal haired arrancar to come over to her. He did, walking over silently, all eyes on them as they watched in anticipation. With a twirl of her finger Soeluna motioned for him to turn around. Grimmjaw just smirked down at her before doing as she instructed.

Pulling water from the air, the woman nelt down so that she was at level with the small of the man's back. There, to the right of his hollow hole, was a large scar resembling a road burn right over where his 6 used to be. Covering the spot with the water, the redhead did the same as she had done to the scar on his chest.

Concentrating, the water began to glow. Just as before, the scar began to dissipate, only this time the healed skin was marked by the black gothic styled 6. Everyone watched in awe, save Grimmjaw. He had seen it before and though the feat still astounded him, he wasn't about to let on to that. When he was completely healed and the tattoo was once again visible, he turning around, offering Luppi a sadistic grin.

"What do you think you're doing, Grimmjaw?" the Espada asked suspiciously. The teal haired arrancar's sneer only grew at the man's reaction, however, he did not reply. Instead, he turned back to Soeluna.

Wrapping his left arm around her shoulder, he pulled her in against his body, moving so his mouth was next to her ear as the woman blushed at the sudden contact.

"Thanks," he whispered, his lips pulled into a smirk. Without releasing her, Grimmjaw turned to grin tauntingly up at Aizen.

Soeluna knew he had only done it because he knew she liked the brunette, who he hated, but still, it had given him a chance to thank her without others hearing. Giving her one last taunting look, the teal haired arrancar gave a slight squeeze then disappeared. Before any could even realized he had moved, he was in front of Luppi, his hand coming out of the petite Espada's back as he ran him through with the very arm that had caused him to lose his rank. Blood splattered over both their cloths, the smaller man's face contorting in both pain, fear, and rage, a most terrible combination to behold. Coughing up blood, Luppi gaped up at the man who's arm was presently through his chest.

"G…Grimmjaw…you…"

"Bye-bye… number six," Grimmjaw sneered, a cero blossoming in his hand as he saw the terror grow in Luppi's shallow lavender eyes for the last time. As he released it, the blast engulfed the petite arrancar, drowning out any cries he might have made. When it cleared, his legs and hips were all that remained of the Sexta. The remnants of the corps still standing for a moment or two before it toppled to the floor.

"Heh, HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" Grimmjaw broke out into a mad laugh, scaring the human girl as he celebrated his victory. "It's back!! My power's back!! I am the Sexta!! The Sexta Espada!! Grimmjaw!!" he continued to cackle insanely, filling the vast emptiness of the room with the sound of his voice. Soeluna just shook her head, muttering under her breath.

"You're welcome."

_Well, that was fun. I am so glad to be rid of Luppi. I really can't stand him. I'm not entirely sure which direction this chapter went in. It was kinda a PWP. That's okay though. Tell me what ya thought. Thanks for reading. You people rock._


	13. More Then One? Could Be Fun

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning:** Grimmy and Nnoitra's usual language.

_Ok, expect this chapter to be more than slightly confusing. Just going to tell you that right off the bat. Things are going to start picking up soon. I already have up to chapter 17 written, I just need them edited. On of them I can't have my usual editor edit for reasons I can't get in to. So It might take me a while to find someone who can edit it. Sorry for however long that will take._

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach. I don't own the idea for Bleach. I don't own Grimmjaw. But I'm still his master. BD

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx  
He that flies from his own family has far to travel  
-Latin Proverb-  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 13. More Than One? Could Be Fun

Soeluna was pulled from the confines of slumber by the bright light that streamed in through the large half-circle shaped window on the other side of the room. Groaning, she pulled the sheets up over her head, attempting to go back to sleep, but to no avail. After laying there for several minutes, the redhead despaired of the thought of getting any more sleep. Reluctantly, she pulled herself up to lean on one arm while she combed her hair back from her face with her free hand.

Gin had given her an extra shirt that she could wear when she wasn't wearing her uniform. It was large on her and rather baggy, but she liked to sleep in it. The white silk shirt came down to about mid-thigh and was sleeveless. It was Chinese styled and the intricately knotted red fastens lined from the neck off to the side. It was rather comfortable and kept her warm through the cold nights.

Despite the fact that Hueco Mundo was a desert, it did get cold at night. The days were warm, a terrible dry heat, and the nights were bone chilling, an empty sort of cold, like all the heat was being sucked from you. She remembered a time when she had roamed the endless desert aimlessly, just trying to survive the two extremes that came with every day. It was like two different worlds.

Sitting there in the comfort and security of Los Noches, she took a moment to silently appreciate all that she had now. After all she had been through, life among the arrancars was quiet and peaceful. She felt she finally had found a place to belong, somewhere she could stay and start a new life. Everything that had happened before she had come here now seemed like it was another life, a dream, or more so a nightmare she had gone through, so that she could wake to reality. But she knew this wasn't true. The dreams were peaceful. It's reality that's the nightmare.

With a sigh, the redhead pulled herself out of her warm bed and began to get dressed. The reddish brown stone still hung from the ribbon around her neck. She never took it off. As always, she wore her shirt inside out, so that the black lining was showing, resenting the lack of color in this white castle. No shoes were pulled over her feet. She hated shoes. They felt confining and unnecessary. There was simply no point to them.

When she was finished dressing, Soeluna brushed her hair back into its usual high ponytail, her bangs messy and askew as they partially concealed her eyebrows. Beyond that she didn't bother with her looks. She never did.

With a gentle click, Soeluna closed the door to her room behind her before sauntering off down the vast empty halls of her new home. It was funny how quiet it could be in the mornings, almost as if she was alone in the never-ending barrenness of Aizen's kingdom, but she knew she wasn't.

The redhead never bothered to wake her Espada up. He was always grouchy and unsociable first thing in the morning and besides, the two of them hadn't been getting along ever since Grimmjaw had gotten his rank back. When Luppi had been Sexta, it had given them a common enemy, a reason to ally against the new Espada to throw him out of power. The only problem was now that he was gone they were once more at each other's throats.

With a graceful twirl of her wrist, the redhead opened and closed the large oak doors to her library. Sunlight glistened in through the glass of the window as it streamed down upon the carpet, casting long shadows across the floor as they stretched out towards the opposing wall. Bits and pieces of dust could be seen floating through the air when caught in the morning's gentle rays.

She had much to do that morning. The other day, her and the newly re-enstated Sexta Espada had gotten into a bit of a brawl in her library and, well, things hadn't turned out to good. She had won the fight, make no mistake about that, but as it turned out, more than the Sixth's pride had been scuffed. Several bookshelves had been knocked over, a table and a couple chairs had been overturned, and her ladder, which she had set to the side, had been broken again. She had to wonder why everyone was beating up on her library.

She worked and worked, time flying by faster than the shadows of the clouds that were caried by overhead on the breeze. Minutes, like sand, slipped through the days hourglass as she lost herself in her work, unaware of the fast pace the world had set around her.

Suddenly she felt an arm wrap around her neck, pulling her back against a hard muscular chest as someone leaned down so his mouth was next to her ear. The arm was strong and thick with muscles, giving away that it was a man that had her. Though his grip wasn't threatening or even that tight, she couldn't turn around to get a clear look at the man's face, not that she needed to. She had heard him come in and set something on the table.

"Boo," the man smirked. Soeluna just gave a sigh, unamused by the man's sense of humor.

"What is it, Grimmjaw?" The Espada's grin never fell as he released the woman, allowing her to turn around to look up at him.

"Hey, I brought ya lunch," he sneered, shoving a tray of food into her hands. Taken off guard, the woman took the tray as it was handed to her, looking up at the man in confusion. "I saw ya weren't at the mess hall and if ya don't get there soon enough ya get stuck with left overs, so I figured I'd buy ya lunch." He snorted in amusement as he looked around the empty library. "How'd I know ya would be holding yar self up in here?" The redhead still looked quizzical when the man's gaze returned to her.

This was unlike him. Why was he going out of his way to bring her lunch? Something had to be up.

She was confused with the man's actions, but things had been like this lately. That was really the only thing that differed from their relationship before Luppi. Before Grimmjaw had been replaced as the Sexta Espada, they were constantly fighting. Now, they had brief moments of civility. It was rare and far between, but upon occasion, for whatever reason, they would stop arguing and get along for the better part of the day. However, as if to balance this turn of events, their fights grew worse, and at times, more violent. There had even been a handful of incidents where several of the Espadas had had to pull the two of them apart as they tried to kill each other. All and all, Soeluna couldn't tell if things were getting better or worse.

"Thank you," she said formally, though her expression never changed. "But why did you…"

"Oi," the man interrupted as something he saw out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, "ya got yar ladder fixed," the Sixth noted in amusement as he pointed to the now usable ladder.

"Huh, oh, yeah. It's just a patch job, but it will hold," she explained.

The sections that had been broken had been sawed out and were replaced with new sections of wood. The texture and color of the patched spots didn't match the rest of the ladder but it was still a rather good job considering the ladder had been snapped in two.

"So, hope ya don't mind if I join ya."

"For what?" Soeluna stated, turning to face the man when she realized he had left her side.

"Lunch, what else?" he scoffed, giving her a snide look as he fell back into one of the chairs at the table.

A tray was already placed before the seat he had taken, piled high with food, most of which was meat.

"Well," she began, holding her tray with one hand as she tucked some loose hair behind her ear with the other, " I was actually going to..." she stopped, looking down at the tray then back up at the man. Letting out a surrendering sigh, she walked over to the table, sitting across from the man.

He smirked at her victoriously before digging into his food savagely. She just shook her head at the man, giving a small chuckle at his argumentative nature.

They ate over the course of the next hour, exchanging small talk and getting along for the most part. It was a rather pleasant change from their usual yelling and squabbling.

"So, how's it been having your rank back?" Soeluna asked as she took a bite of the meat on her plate.

"It's been pretty good. Miss having my fraccions, but I can always get more." Despite his dismissive tone, Soeluna knew he had been attached to the five men that had served under him and wasn't planning on replacing them.

"I'm sure they were proud to die under your command," she assured, giving him a comforting smile. Grimmjaw watched her with a strange expression that Soeluna couldn't decipher, but she didn't pay him much mind.

"Aww, kitty'z got himself a girlfriend. How precious," a voice cued from the doorway, surprising both arrancars.

Turning their attention to the newcomer, they were met by the ever smiling figure of Gin. The wily man was propped against the door frame, his usual knowing grin stretching across his face. At his impromptu arrival, the woman brightened up, a large smile coming to her at the sight of the familiar ex-shinigami. Grimmjaw, however, did not seem as pleased at the trickster's arrival.

"What are ya doing here?" he snorted, crossing his arms over his broad chest. The newcomer just tilted his head in amusement.

"I just came ta pay our li'l desert rose a visit is all." He snickered as the other male watched him untrustingly. Soeluna just ignored the Espada's attitude, too used to it to be concerned.

"Gin, how have you been?" she asked excitedly.

"I've been good. Tyin' up some loose endz f'r Aizen-sama an' all. Thought I'd come an' see ya. Is been a wile." Though it was hard to tell, his smile was genuine when he looked at the woman.

They had grown quite close during her stay in Los Noches. The two hung out quite often and shared many a laugh together. Soeluna talked to the silver haired fox about everything and she was one of the few people Gin genuinely liked. Many thought that he knew more about the mysterious woman than he was letting on, maybe even more than Aizen did.

They were an odd pair, but something about them seemed to fit. Maybe it was how bizarre they both were or the way you never could tell what they were thinking or what they might do. They were impossible to read and full of surprises. In addition, no one knew what they were really capable of,. Add it all up and it was a deadly combination.

"There'z a new moon comin' soon, don't ya know." Grimmjaw just looked at the man quizzically.

"What's that got to do with anything?" the Sexta retorted harshly.

"Juz thought I'd mention it. Da desert sky'z so pretty thiz time a year," the ex-shinigami snickered, stealing some of the food from the woman's tray.

"Oi, Misfit. What's up?" a deeper, thicker voice greeted them as the doors to the library swung open for the large form that was Yami. Nnoitra followed in after him, the tall lanky man having to duck to keep from hitting his head on the door frame. Slinking over, Nnoitra wound his arms around the woman's waist teasingly.

"Hey there," he snickered. Soeluna was used to this by now. He always teased her like this. The man had learned what she would and wouldn't tolerate and knew she wouldn't hesitate to reprimand him if he crossed the line. Most of what he did now was just playful teasing, which she had accepted as Nnoitra's way of showing affection.

Yami just rolled his eyes at the Fifth, giving him a light whack upside the head.

"You never change, do ya?" he stated more than asked. Nnoitra glared at the lower ranked Espada, but didn't unwind his arms from around Soeluna till Gin's smile grew slightly more unnerving than usual.

Suddenly, they were all interrupted by a authoritative and respectable voice.

"Soeluna, how are you? I did not see you at lunch. I thought we were going to eat together," Aizen stated with a pleasant smile. As the brunette glided in from the door way, Soeluna glanced at Grimmjaw awkwardly before replying.

"Sorry, Aizen, something... came up," chosing her words wisely as she gazed up at the brunette. It was obvious she felt guilty for not having lunch with the man, despite the fact that she did every other day.

"That is all right. I see you have company," the ex-shinigami noted, moving the conversation to the grouchy Espada who sat across the table.

Grimmjaw just glared at the man, as usual, showing no respect for his leader. Turning his attention to his other Espadas, Aizen gave a charming but fake smile.

"I see you have tamed many of my Espadas. Quite the charmer." His tone was pleasant, but like everything about him, it lacked a sort of genuity to make it mean something. "Well, I must be going. I was just wondering if you would be joining me for dinner tomorrow?" the ex-shinigami asked as he went to take his leave.

"Ok," she replied, a bright beautiful smile taking over her expression as she waved goodbye to the man.

After their leader's exit, the group continued to chat and bicker amongst themselves. At some point, Szayel wondered in, claiming to be perusing for a science journal, but he too eventually ended up joining the group. At some point Ulquiorra wandered in with his charge, the young human girl, who was in search of a book to help pass the time.

They were soon joined by Stark and Halibel. The sleepy Prima Espada immediately plopped down on one of the cushy arm chairs, listening to the whole conversation in a sort of comatose state. The female Espada, however, had come to the library to retrieve a book. After asking Soeluna for help finding it, the two went off into the maze of shelves in search of the novel.

"Oi, Pinky, what do ya know about the Holy Sister?" Grimmjaw grunted as he leaned back against the table. The pink haired scientist looked slightly surprised by the man's question.

"Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time. The Holy Sisters, huh?" Szayel hummed to himself.

"Yeah, that's what Aizen called her," Grimmjaw replied, glancing in the direction the redhead and Halibel had disappeared in. "Soeluna, I mean."

"I don't think he called her that. I think what you meant he said was that she is a Holy Sister," the scientist corrected.

"Well, whatever he called her, what is it?" Yami asked, his tone serious and his expression puzzled.

"The Holy Sisters are a group, no, more of a pack, of highly skilled warriors. They are considered many things, including God's elite and his greatest creation, but they are created with only one purpose; to protect God and this world," the scientist explained offhandedly, though he did seem slightly curious about the idea of the name being directed at the redhead.

"So, what? They're just God's servants or something?" Nnoitra snorted indifferently.

"Not quite. There are currently seven of them. All of them are woman, hence they are called Holy Sisters. Their powers differ, as does their classification. Some are just human. Some are humans with is an arrancar and two or three are even half-angel and half-demon."

"Wait a minute," Nnoitra interrupted, "angels and demons? I thought those didn't exist. There were just shinigamis and hollows." Pink locks shook gently as the man shook his head.

"There is a place, beyond the Soul Society, that is the equivalency of heaven. Because of that, many assume that there must also be a place that serves as a mirror of hell, but it has never been seen.

"In these places, angels and demons live. They seldom come to our world but they do exist. It's almost like a separate world inside our world. We very seldom make contact or associate with each other.

"The strange thing about these sisters who are half and half is that they defy nature. Those two opposites of angel and demon were not meant to coexist in one body, it would literally tear a person apart, but somehow they've managed to balance the two sides, making them the only ones of their kind."

"So, these Holy Sisters, if they protect our worlds or whatever, then why don't we know about them?" Grimmjaw asked, his curiosity aroused.

"They want it that way. They work in secret, like ninjas or assassins. They don't need recognition for their acts and find it easier to work if the world doesn't know what they're doing.

Every single one of them is specially equipped to defend this world and is said to have the power of God himself. They are the essence of lethality. Not much is known about them individually, but it is said that they are all extremely beautiful and extremely potent."

"So she's one of them then?" Nnoitra asked, folding his arms across his chest, raising a brow at the scientist.

"It would appear Aizen-sama thinks so. It does make sense though. Her name, that stone she wears, how strong she is, the fact that we don't know much about her. The only thing that baffles me is her powers, her looks, and that she's an arrancar."

"Why's that?" the Fifth inquired.

"But didn't you say that one of them was an arrancar?" Yami added in confusion.

"Yes, but there is only one Holy Sister that is an arrancar and it's not her. That ones named Elora and she has darker skin and is said to have gold eyes and black hair. It is also said that she is ruthless and the hardest of the seven to control. She will often disobey orders or make a bad situation worse. But she is praised for her uncanny fighting skills. She has never lost a battle, and is in many people's opinions, at least those who know about them, the strongest of the Holy Sisters. She has a deadly fighting skill. No one who has seen it outside the Sisters has lived to tell about it, so no one knows just what her powers are.

This also brings up the subject of our Soeluna's looks. There are two or three Soelunas in the Holy Sisters, and they all characteristically have red hair and blue eyes. In addition, they are all half angel and half demons. Their powers are over fire and water, but our Sister hasn't demonstrated any powers over fire. It is strange indeed." Szayel shook his head in frustration, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear.

"Ya said God could create new Sisters at will. Then couldn't she be a new one that no one knows about yet?" Nnoitra suggested.

"That could be, but the facts just don't add up. Why would he create a new Sister different form the other Soelunas, but give her the same name? And I can see no reason why he would have dropped her right into the middle of Hueco Mundo.

Also, when a new Sister is created, or at least those who have these unnatural powers, they must spend the first thousand years of their lives stabilizing their own bodies and learning to control their abilities. She obviously has control of her powers and is especially talented at controlling and utilizing them, so she is at least a thousand and five hundred, if not two thousand years old. Word of her creation would have gotten out by now. I just can't make sense of it. Half the facts support the theory of her being a Holy Sister and half are against it. It's almost like she's only half created or something."

"Wait," Yami suddenly stated urgently, "what about that Maephias guy, her brother. What about him? Maybe he has something to do with this." The scientist's face paled slightly, embarrassed that he hadn't thought of that.

"Yes... well...I already told you that Soelunas are half angel, half demon. Basically, they are the physical manifestation of all the universe's opposites. Well, it's not a really well known fact, but within every set of opposites, there is an opposite set of opposites. It is a hard concept for some to grasp, but think of it this way. There are four elements: water, fire, earth, and air. Fire is the opposite of water and earth is the opposite of air. Of these two pairs of opposites, water and fire are the opposites of earth and air.

That would lead us to the conclusion that if a Soeluna is everything and it's opposite, then she must have a corresponding opposite that is also everything and its opposite. You understand?" The four other Espadas just stared at the scientist in confusion.

"Wow, ya lost me. So she's the opposite of an opposite... within an opposite?" Nnoitra asked, an utterly lost expression on his face.

"No, that's not it. Oh, how can I explain it? Think of it this way. You have a Soeluna. She is everything and its opposite: fire, water, red, blue, angel, demon, life, death, heaven, hell, etc. etc. etc. Then she has an opposite to her, Maephias, who is in turn also everything and its opposite; angel, demon, earth, air, heaven, hell, life, death, sky, land, etc. etc. etc.

Now, both of them are everything and its opposite, but they are opposites to each other as well. One is male, one is female, one is worshiped, one is kept a secret, one is considered the divine son of heaven, the other the protector of hell.

They are basically opposite pairs of opposites. You getting this?"

"I think so," Grimmjaw stated. "But when we saw Maephias, he had embodied Soeluna's sword. He didn't have a body of his own. Though she may not have said it directly, Soeluna did make it clear that he did have a body at one point. That means something must have happened to it. So, theoretically, would something her brother did to her have a direct affect on her? Offset the balance of opposites or something?" Szayel just blinked at first, taken aback at the fact that the Sixth was even capable of deep thought, let alone actually understanding the redhead on a complex level.

"Theoretically, it could. I can't think of anything that would though. But you might be on to something there. He might have something to do with her being different," Szayel conformed.

"He has everything to do with it," a voice interrupted them. The men whirled around to find Soeluna standing beside Halibel, her arms folded across her chest and an irked expression on her face, "but that is none of your concern." The venomous glare she gave them forced all five men to go silent.

Szayel, Nnoitra, and Yami looked off in another direction, averted their gaze from the woman entirely. Halibel closed her eyes as she shook her head at the group. Only Stark, Gin, who had opted not to participate in the conversation, and Grimmjaw were able to look the redhead in the eyes, though the Sexta's was more of a stubborn leer than a stare.  
"Ya say that a lot. Well, I think it is our concern. Ya been keeping too many secrets and I think it's time ya came clean about a few things." The man's fiery blue eyes gleamed with the challenge, greatly enjoying the scornful look on the woman's face.

"Grimmjaw," Stark interrupted dryly, trying to end the fight before it began, "leave her be. She doesn't have to explain herself to us. She isn't bound to Aizen-sama."

"Come on, think about it," the Sexta demanded. "We don't know where she came from, what she's doing here. We didn't even know what her f***ing powers were until a month ago! How can we trust her?"

"Why would you need to?" Her response was swift and unhesitant, catching the Sixth off guard and stunning him briefly.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" he shouted.

"Well, thus far, I have seen no life or death situation where you have had to put your life in my hands. I have done nothing that would prove disloyal and I in no way fight for Aizen so there is no chance of me betraying him in battle. You have known me for more than seven months now. I don't see why you would just be questioning this now. The only conclusion I can come to that would explain your attitude, is that you simply feel you have to pick a fight with everyone to try and push aside your own insecurities."

"Whad ya say!" the man shouted in anger, tossing a chair out from in front of him. "Soeluna! Ever since ya came here, ya've just been one big pain in the ass!" Several of the Espadas made a slight rushing motion as they prepared to break up the fight that was about to beginning, but they never had to.

"E-excuse me…um," came a meek voice from beyond the circle of arrancars.

Turning, all eyes fell upon the timid orange haired human girl who cringed back as their gaze met her's. Lowering her head, the girl glanced away hesitantly.

"Did… did you say your name was Soeluna?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," she replied, followed by a brief pause, "that is my nickname. My full name is , but that can be quite the mouthful so you can just call me Soeluna. Why do you ask?" The human girl seemed startled at the redheads answer, holding her hands together over her chest as she stared at Soeluna.

Her eyes were open and alert with uncertainty, not unmixed with fear. Weakly, she took a step back, while, at the same time, she seemed to want to take a step forward.

"You…you're one of them…You're one of Soeluna's sisters." As those words were uttered, all within the room saw something both dangerous and terrifying flicker through the woman's scarlet orbs, but only Grimmjaw, Gin, Nnoitra, and Stark noticed the tail of fear that followed after it.

At first Soeluna remained very still and very silent, a stony rigidity taking over her as rigamortis does a corpse. Her hardened gaze remained fixed on the human, her brows more than slightly furrowed in what appeared to be the beginning of a great storm. The human became frightened by her silence and began to fidget nervously.

"What do you know of her?" Soeluna finally snapped bluntly, her voice filled with more than customary bitterness. The harsh inflection in her voice surprised the other arrancars and intimidated the girl. "What do you know?" she repeated sternly, her gaze hardened with a defensive distrust that froze the girl where she stood.

"Sh-she…I-I met… her wh-when we went to-to Soul Society… She-she is in the E-Eleventh Squad, b-b-but… there's also one in-in the Sixth- Squad…"the girl stuttered with fear, her frame trembling. Shifting in her stance, Halibel placed her hand on Soeluna's shoulder to get her attention.

"Take it easy on the girl. There's no need to scare her," the Third Espada stated gently.

"Buzz off," the redhead snapped rudely, jerking her shoulder from the woman's grasp.

Her response baffled if not astonished the other arrancars as they observed the woman's behavior.

"I've heard of you. You and your friends attacked Soul Society. You attacked them. If you've hurt them- If anything has happened to them! I'll kill you! How are they? Are they hurt? Are they together?" as she fired the questions at the frightened human, the orange haired girl began to back away trying to get closer to Ulquiorra as some sort of comfort or security.

"Damn it, girl! Answer me!" Soeluna ordered, making the girl cringe and cover her head as if bracing for a blow.

"I-I don't know anything. I swear. I only met them once," she whimpered. None of the others said anything. They didn't really care about the human, but some of them did feel slightly bad for her. Ulquiorra just stood and watched the scene unfold as the redhead continued to browbeat the human girl.

The vast majority of them were more concerned with Soeluna's sudden burst of anger than at the human's fear.

"God damn it, girl. You must know something! Now speak up!" Soeluna had curled her fingers into tight fists. Of her manner, there was no resemblance to the woman they had known for the last seven months.

"I-I don't know anything. Please, I'm telling the truth," the human side-stepped to stand, or rather cower, behind Ulquiorra, clutching at him while she buried her face in his arm, as if attempting to hide herself from the angry redhead.

"Damn it, girl," the redhead growled, stomping over to the trembling figure, ere a decided movement was made by the Espadas to stop her. As she got within four or five feet of the girl's person, the Quarta shifted to shield his prisoner from the more than disgruntled woman.

"Move it, you lily-livered git!" Soeluna ordered in a low and unrivalled growl.

With one swift swing of her left arm, she threw the apathetic Espada out too her way with unneeded and surprising force. The human screamed as the Fourth went crashing into a table. Seizing the girl's uniform in two fistfuls, an irate Soeluna raised the orange-haired girl off the ground, shaking her violently.

"Listen here, you little tramp. I want my questions answered. Tell me!" Suddenly, there was a slight rushing movement in the room, as if a wind had blown through, and her savage interrogation of the girl was interrupted as a spindly hand came to rest on her shoulder.

Her head snapped around, a needless anger burning ablaze in her scarlet eyes as Gin gave her his usual mischievous grin. His body language wasn't threatening nor commanding. If anything, it was friendly, or at least as friendly as Gin could be.

"Why don't ya let li'l pet-san go? After all, it was her black night dat caused all da trouble." At the man's words, the human girls eyes filled with worry.

"Kurasaki-kun…," she breathed.

Reaching out, Gin guided the woman's arm down, allowing her captive's feet to once more grace the ground. Soeluna growled, but gave no further protest.

"Good li'l desert rose," Gin cooed, "We better go have a talk with Aizen-sama."

_Poor Orehime. _ _She didn't deserve that. This chapter kinda had a lot to digest. Really confusing. Sorry if I didn't explain it well. There will be a better explanation later so… As usual, please review. Thanks for reading._


	14. It Begins

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and later chapters.

**Warning:** Nnoritory and Grimmy's usual language.

_Hey. Sorry this one took so long. I thought I had it all written up, but apparently my laptop decided to eat this chapter so I had to write it all over again. This one's kinda fun. Grimmjaw's still being a donkey's behind and it's only going to get worse from here on out. Don't expect much in the way of fluff, or civility for that matter. Nnoitra and Grimmjaw will be cursing like sailors so be prepared… then again they do that every chapter. Oh, well, forewarned is forearmed._

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach. I just screw around with their lives. BD

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It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable  
-Moliere-  
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**Beauty From Pain**  
Chapter 14. It Begins

Nnoitra tromped down the hall, glancing in open doorways as he wandered aimlessly around the labyrinth that was Los Noches. As he walked, his eyes scanned his surroundings, not really taking in the details as he continued his search.

An irritable growl grew deep in his throat as he found he had completed the circuit without a sign of what he was looking for. His step grew more weighted and aggressive as he stocked off in the direction of the mess hall, muttering curses under his breath as he went.

As he neared his appointed destination, the sounds of clattering trays and conversation came to be dominant over the silence and stillness of the hallways. Many thought it was strange, the amount of life in Hueco Mundo, but the Fifth thought there was too much of it. Los Noches, for example, was full of life. You just had to know where to look to find it.

The mess hall was definitely a good place to start. Though none of the arrancars or hollows needed to eat, it was still something they enjoyed and a good way to pass time in this white prison of boredom. It was unarguably the liveliest spot in all of Los Noches. Just looking at the large room, packed wall to wall with arrancars, one might forget the deathly emptiness that surrounded them.

Tables lined the entirety of the room, neat rows of long rectangular tables with backless benches, each of wich easily fit two dozen arrancars. The soldiers of Aizen's army swarmed and writhed about the room like rats at a dumpster. Here it was almost as if there was no rank. Espadas, fraccions and numerose shared tables as if there was no difference between them. There were no distinguishing sections, no privileges, total equality to the eye.

As the lanky Espada entered the immense room, he was met by all the "life" this desert world had inspired. Narrowing his eyes, the Fifth scanned over the crowd, only growing more displeased when he again could not find what he was looking for. However, he was slightly consoled at the sight of three familiar faces who might be able to help with his dilemma. Stalking over, Nnoitra bent over, propping himself up against the table with one arm as he sneered down at the other three that sat at the table.

"Oi, any of you seen Soeluna?"

Lazily, Stark opened one eye to look up jadedly at the Fifth, his expression blank as he studied the newcomer. Halibel was silent as well as she turned to look up at the man, her expression mute but her eyes distrusting. Yami, raised a bushy brow at the other, but was the only one to answer.

"No, she's probably in her library," he replied casually, wondering only in passing why Nnoitra was looking for the young redhead.

"Nah, I already checked there. She ain't in her room either."

"Maybe she's with Grimmjaw. She is his fraccion now," Stark suggested offhandedly.

"Nah, Misfit wouldn't take orders from anybody," Yami reminded. "Besides, ever since he got his rank back, those two have been back to their old routine of fighting every time they run into each other. They got into three scraps just the other day."

"Four." Halibel corrected.

"Yeah, well, my point is I don't think you'll find them together," the Decima stated.

"Man, will those two never stop?" Nnoitra snorted.

"Not until one of them is dead," Stark affirmed, resting his head in the palm of his hand lazily.

"Grimmjaw's the problem. He refuses to accept the fact that she is stronger than him. He constantly is trying to prove he is better than her," Yami added.

"Some men have difficulty accepting it when women are stronger than them," Halibel shrugged, turning her glance to Nnoitra.

"Yeah! What ya looking at me for? I don't like it when anyone is stronger than me. But at least I don't go around picking fights with them all the time," Nnoitra snapped.

"Well, I think she just needs to turn around and put him in his place. Show him just what she's capable of. Ya know?" Yami huffed.

"No, it's probably best if she doesn't," Stark corrected. "If she were to put Grimmjaw in his place, he would take it as her making a direct show of her powers in an attempt to make him look bad. Then he wouldn't rest til he got revenge."

"Well, whatever they decide to do, I'm sure Aizen-sama will stop it before they cause too much damage," Halibel assured.

"Whatever. I'm going to go look for her. Haven't seen her the last couple of days anyway," Nnoitra resolved, pushing off the table as he turned to leave the mess hall.

"I'll come with ya," Yami declared, standing from the table as he did. "Been wanting to visit her anyway." Stark and Halibel just gave a nod as they also stood; following the Fifth as the four Espadas left the crowded room in search of the young redhead.

The group walked down the many passages and corridors of Los Noches, never once running into any lower ranked arrancar, all of whom avoided the band of Espadas. Silence kept them close company, the white eternity of their surroundings only adding to the emptiness of it all. Wandering all over the castle, they searched for the young vixen, unable to find head nor tail of her. Up stairs, around corners, in weapons rooms, the band of Espadas even looked in a few closets for their missing guest.

"This would be a lot easer if that dang girl had retsu," Nnoitra snorted irritably, Stark nodding wordlessly in agreement.

"Yeah," Yami muttered absentmindedly.

"Lets check the training room. She might be there," the Fifth suggested broodingly. With a nod of agreement, the band of arrancar turned another corner in new hope of finding the missing woman.

As they came to the large iron doors of the training room, the distend sound of clashing metal echoed from within with a strange hostility that was uncustomary for the training room. Opening the door, their eyes were instently drawn to the only two figures that occupied the entire room.

Sparks flew freely from the swords as they clashed with an aggressive violence. Light glistened off the two men's sweat-drenched bodies as one swung his sword wildly, the other doing his best to stay off the other's vicious blows. As the four Espadas stepped over the threshold, the aggressor stopped. Glaring at them, he straightened himself, wiping the sweat from his brow as he turned to face them.

"What the hell do you want?" Grimmjaw growled, his glare only deepening as the little arrancar he had been taking his anger out on seized the opportunity to scurry out the door.

"We're looking for Misfit," Yami stated, giving the Sexta a glower of his own, "She's been missing the last couple of days and we thought you-"

"Haven't seen her," the Sixth interjected curtly, turning his back to them as he resumed his sword work.

"Tch," Nnoitra scoffed, rolling his eyes at the other. "If you haven't seen her then why ya so pissy, kitty-car." At this Grimmjaw whipped around to give the other a look of pure hatred.

"F*** off."

"Stop your bitching and just tell us where she is," the Fifth ordered irritably.

"Even if I knew I wouldn't tell you bastards," Grimmjaw spat.

"Why's that? Want to keep her and your kinky little fantasies for yourself?" In one quick step, the Sixth was toe to toe with his superior, fisting the man's shirt as his eyes gleamed with an unmatched rage.

"What the f*** did you say, you sonofabitch!" His grip on the Fifths shirt tightened as he demanded an answer.

"Hey! Break it up!" The order rang loud and clearly through the vastness of the training room, causing all to turn and stare at the figure in the doorway.

"Misfit," Yami stated, rather pleased at having finally found her.

There she stood, her slim but sturdy form nowhere near filling the doorway as she glared, hands on her hips, at the agitated Espadas.

Giving a grunt, Grimmjaw released his hold on Nnoitra's shirt, turning away from both him and the woman whose eyes bore into him like a burning dagger. Soeluna replied to the man's brooding behavior with an irritated sigh. She was finding herself growing weary with the Sexta's constant attitude and temper.

"Where ya been?" Nnoitra asked with a slight tone to his voice that sounded unpleased.

"Yeah," Yami agreed, though with no similar tone, "We've been looking for you."

"Our young guest was keeping me company these last couple days. I did not think you would mind." As Aizen stepped into the room, the mood of all sank deeper into the brooding quicksand Grimmjaw had already set.

None of the Espadas were surprised to see the redhead with their glorious leader, but it didn't mean they were happy about it either. Nonetheless, they kept their respective opinions to themselves. The ex-shinigami offered up that facadeof a smile he always wore at their silence, his innocent pretence mocking them.

"My dear, you seem to be quite the shining star of Los Noches. I do hope I have not been keeping her to myself too much. Have I?" More silence. "Good," he announced with an expression, like he was hiding something in plain sight and taunting them for not being able to find it.

"I fear I have been borrowing our little beauty here for the last several days and withheld her from her friends." Soeluna blushed slightly, obviously having no complaints about the brunette's attention. "But do not worry. I will let you have her now."

Here he lowered his brows, almost imperceptibly, adding just a touch of malice to his expression, as if to say 'Oh, yes. How kind of me'. They knew there was nothing they could do if he wanted to keep her all locked up and away from them, and he knew it too.

The room became thick with silence, a tension so dense you could spread it on a cracker. Though few would enjoy its bitter taste.

The stillness would mislead many, blinding them to the battle that was being fought. Granted, it was a weak battle, but a battle nonetheless. Aizen stood there, daring them to do something, anything. Speak out against him, attack him, accuse him of what they were all thinking but none dared say aloud. But the arrancars knew better. They were no fools. So they remained silent, not speaking their grievances, never challenging their leader, and breaking themselves further into obedience.

Sparing the redhead one final fake smile, Aizen turned away to make his exit.

"I _will_ see you later." The man's tone made more than one of the Espadas feel something greater than unease, but less than worry.

Even after he left, the silence remained. Nnoitra refused to look at the redhead out of resentment to their leader. Halibel watched the woman as her eyes lingered on the spot the brunette had been. Stark's eyes hung on Soeluna in a half dozing state. Yami's gaze shifted between her and the floor, and Grimmjaw just glared at the opposite wall.

This brooding silence continued longer than any would like, till finally, with a sigh, Soeluna turned away from the door to greet them with a weary smile.

"Sorry I haven't been to see you guys. Its just that Aizen wanted-"

"Yeah yeah, we heard," Nnoitra interrupted irritably. At this show of hostility, the woman grew quiet again, slightly hurt by her friend's anger.

"Come on, man. Don't be like that. She ain't done nothing," Yami defended.

With a huff, Nnoitra gave up the fight, uncrossing his arms and turning to face the redhead who in turn gave the Decima an appreciative smile. As the Espada walked in closer to the young woman, a small grouse could be heard coming from the Sexta.

"Tch, tramp." He had muttered it more to himself but had made no effort of keeping it from the others. Nnoitra was the first to whirl around.

"What'd ya say!" he shouted furiously. Stark moved to put his hand on the Fifth's shoulder which proved to neither calm him nor encourage him. Grimmjaw turned to glare at the others over his shoulder. If he was surprised they heard, he didn't let it show.

Soeluna was used to his cruelties by now, but still she could not help that slight sadness that tugged at her features. She was not sad so much for herself and the insult he had done her, but more so for him, and how alone he must feel. She still had many friends, many people with whom she could put trust in. But he had no such luxury. Despite regaining his rank, despite being the revered Sexta Espada, despite being one of the most powerful fighters in all of Hueco Mundo, Grimmjaw Jaggerjack was utterly alone.

He had known his little fraccions since they were adjuchas. They had hero worshiped him for as long as Soeluna could remember and even though he would never show it, the Sexta was hurting now that they were gone.

"Don't give me that look." Soeluna was brought from her thoughts as Grimmjaw snapped at her.

"Huh?"

"Don't give me that look," he repeated, this time more subdued, "I don't need yar pity." This did not surprise the woman in the least. Grimmjaw would never accept pity. It made him feel weak, like people were looking down on him. Maybe it was that he was insecure. Soeluna did not think it was that. He was a lot like her; strong, stubborn, self-reliant, and filled with pride to the point where it was a fault. She could sympathize with the man. Having such a strong sense of pride was not an easy thing to live with in a place such as this.

"I wasn't pitying you. Merely thinking," she stated softly.

"Yeah, well, w-" The Sexta was cut off by a rather large shoe hitting him square in the face.

"Oi, f***er! Just leave the little lady alone, huh? Ain't ya bothered her enough?" Nnoitra spat as he prepared to take the other shoe off.

"What the f***! This doesn't concern ya! Mind ya own f***ing business, ya bastard!" Grimmjaw shot back, hurling the footwear back at his attacker.

"Then you keep yar damn hands to yourself!" the Fifth retorted, catching the shoe.

"What the hell! I ain't done nothing!" Grimmjaw fired back defensively.

"Guys, guys, quit it," Soeluna ordered, running between the two in an attempt to break up the dispute.

"Stay out of this, woman," the Sexta snapped, fixing the redhead with a glare that was meant to scare her. It had no such effect.

"Back it down, Grimmjaw." She again ordered, only for him to again ignore her.

"Don't tell me what to do. This isn't yar fight, bitch!" he spat.

"I'm making it my fight."

"Then ya better be prepared to draw yar sword," Grimmjaw threatened, clasping his practice sword readily.

"I don't have a sword, you git!" Soeluna pointed out, her tolerance growing shorter.

"Ya know what! F*** ya!" he spat, giving her the bird, though he knew she wouldn't know what it meant.

"Yeah, well you'd like it," she retaliated, catching the Sixth off guard.

"Well ya'd let me." He did his best to be smooth about it, but the long pause before he spoke was clear enough to everyone to prove he hadn't seen that coming.

"You want that, don't you?" Anger was the only thing fueling her words, that much was clear.

"Like chewing glass," he snarled.

"Fine! Whatever! Come on, guys, we're leaving." Not even bothering to spare the Sexta a final glare, Soeluna turned her back to him, storming off as the others followed her.

Grimmjaw watched them leave with a stony glare. When the last of them had disappeared beyond view of the doorway, the teal haired arrancar still remained glowering at the empty entryway.

As he thought over what had just happened, his shoulders unconsciously fell to a slump as the tension drained from him. Gritting his teeth violently, a low threatening growl was sounded from the man as the heat of the argument left him.

"Damn," he cursed, tossing his practice sword away violently. "That bitch." The loud echoing clatter of the discarded weapon was lost to him as he is gaze fell to glare at the floor. That's when he saw it.

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"I'm sorry you guys had to see that. I didn't mean to cause any trouble," Soeluna repeated as they walked down the halls together.

"It's all right. Grimmjaw can be a real jackass sometimes," Yami assured, waving a hand dismissively at the redhead's apology.

"Yeah, wasn't your fault," Nnoitra agreed harmoniously. Halibel just nodded in support.

"I guess your right, but still…" she let the sentence hang, not really sure what to do with it. "He's been so irritable lately and more so than usual. Every time I see him it just turns into another fight," lowering her head despairingly, she gave a heavy sight, "I don't know what I ever did to him."

"You didn't do nothing," Nnoitra scoffed.

"Grimmjaw's just always been this way. The man has never really been close to anyone or trusted anyone other than his fraccions." Stark's consoling words were of some comfort.

Pushing it out of her mind, Soeluna turned to face her friends.

"Thanks. So, what do you all want to do?" Her swift transition in emotions did not surprise the Espadas. They were used to her façade and knew that she tended to keep her emotions to herself.

The Espadas turned to look at Nnoitra, causing a confused expression to grow on the man's face.

"What ya looking at me for?" he snapped defensively.

"You were the one looking for her. We just tagged along to visit," Yami scoffed.

"Well… Its not like I had anything in mind. I just wanted to see her was all," the Fifth shot back.

"Sure you did," Halibel muttered bluntly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the lanky arrancar snapped, glaring down at the woman.

A soft giggle interrupted their argument as Soeluna found humor in her comrade's defensiveness. The Fifth's temper was softened by the sweet and heartwarming sound of the woman's laughter, resolving to let the argument go for her sake.

The company spent the rest of the day meandering around Los Noches, no destination in mind, no plans ahead, just enjoying the present as they laughed and conversed. They were happy, if it could be called that, and found their lives more bearable since the bizarre woman had walked into her lives.

They played games, they let loose, they lived. She had brought them all close, softened the formality and captivity of the castle, made it seem less like a prison. One way or another, she had make them into a family of sorts, a rather mixed up, broken family, but a family nonetheless.

There is a sort of loneliness that comes with being an arrancar. Like the loneliness that comes to all humans, only amplified. An emptiness that comes with or without friends. A sense of purposelessness, like there is no place to belong, no one to want you, and no meaning to your existence. She, a woman without a home, without a family, without an identity, had helped to ease and heal that loneliness.

With her stubbornness, her determination, her warmth, she had worked her way into their hearts, some more than others. Soeluna just seemed to be the missing piece of the puzzle to them. She fit so well with all of them, connecting them to each other.

Even Nnoitra and Szayel had been tamed by the savage beauty. With her help, the two had become more and more social. Nnoitra would often be found following Soeluna like a lost puppy. When Szayel had lost his older brother, Ilfort, Soeluna had been the only one to comfort him, the only one he had gone to, the only one he had cried in front of.

To some she was a mother, to some a sister, to some a loving aunt, but to all who resided in Los Noches, she was family.

Nnoitra watched as the scarlet beauty play fought with Halibel and Yami, skillfully avoiding their blades and occasionally assaulting them with snowballs. His eyes watched her and her alone as she weaved about the sky, that angelic smile painted Gleaming brighter then the sun. She was strong, stronger than any of them realized. But he also recognized that she was broken. That's why she fit in so well around Hueco Mundo. He didn't know yet just how she was broken, but he didn't mind taking his time to find out.

"Careful." Nnoitra looked over to find Stark watching him silently as he lay against the wall. For the first time since Nnoitra had met the Prima Espada, he did not appear tired. "Don't get carried away. She's Aizen's, remember?" he stated bluntly. Nnoitra gave a small growl, pushing off the wall he leaned against.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Ya don't have ta remind me." Glancing over his shoulder, the Fifths expression was slightly mournful as he spoke to the other. "Just grant me this much." With a nod from Stark, the raven haired Espada was off, leaping into the air effortlessly to join the fight.

The Prima watched as the Fifth playfully snuck up on the redhead, attacking her with his usual pervy manner. Shaking his head, Stark rested back against the white surface of Los Noches, closing his eyes against the cruel sun.

"Watch out girl. Looks like you're catching all the wrong eyes…"

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As the day neared its end, the pack of arrancars disbanded and as they said their goodbyes swore to meet for the same fun the next morning. Walking down the endless whiteness of Los Noches, Soeluna fought to keep her eyes open. Her room seemed so very far away as the vast hallway stretched on into emptyness.

Eventually, her room grew near enough for her to give a sigh of relief. As she passed by Grimmjaw's chambers, she noticed the door was left open. Glancing in as she passed, she briefly observed that the room was vacant of his person. Giving it no further thought, the redhead shuffled into her compartment, lazily swinging the door closed behind her.

Too exhausted to even change clothes, Soeluna fell back heavily onto her bed, letting her legs dangle over the edge as she lay on her back. With a deep sigh, she let her eyes flutter closed as her mind surrendered to the white blankness of her fatigued body. The dimness and stillness of the room proved to be a silent lullaby for her as she drifted into sleep within minutes.

She was so tired she couldn't have awakenedif a bomb hit. Maybe that's why she didn't hear the soft click of a lock and the sudden flash of light that accompanied it.

_There we go. A plotless chapter. What a surprise. Stark kinda seems to know something we don't. Or maybe its just a premonition. How come the laziest person in all of Hueco Mundo is foreshadowing? As usual, thanks for reading, please review, blah blah blah. Hope to have the next chapter out soon. Til then._


	15. The Deed

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and this chapter.

**Warning: **Language, dark topics, sexual content, not recommended for children under 18.

_Well…here we are. Of Broken Mirrors & Lighted Matches…I really don't know what to say. I've never written anything like this before. Prepare yourself. And read the warning. I mean it. No underage readers. _

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. Because if I did ULQUIHIME WOULD HAVE LIVED!

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Those who do not feel pain seldom think that it is felt.  
-Samuel Johnson-  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 15. Of Broken Mirrors & Lighted Matches

Part 1. The Deed

Soeluna was jerked from her sleep, feeling a sharp pain constricting her wrist. Groggily, she pulled herself from the clinging embrace of slumber, only to snap awake as she grew aware of a strong form lingering over her. Her gaze was met by resolute, voracious eyes of the night.

"Grimmjaw!" The bright teal eyes washed over her like the waters of the ocean, tide rolling in and out, as his eyes pursued the curves of her body in the dim light of midnight. Leaning over the small bed, he used one hand to lock her wrists together above her head in that iron grip of his, the other coming down to tenderly grasp her chin between his index finger and thumb. His lips gave a gentle upward pull as he soaked in her detained position.

"Good morning, sleepy head. Have any good dreams?" the Sexta Espada badgered, eyelids lulled in taunting supremacy.

"Yes, but it appears I woke to a nightmare," she growled irritably, her expression fringed with disgust.

A small breathy laugh was all Soeluna got in response as she wriggled in his grasp. Unable to break loose, the redhead found the other's leering fixation of her to only irk her further.

"What do you want, eyeliner boy? Surely you didn't come here just to contaminate my room with your rancid breath." Voice oozing sarcasm, she scrunched her nose in disgust, the smugness dropping from the Espada's face at the less than desirable nickname. A timid squeak escaped her rosy lips as he tightened his grip.

"Ya'r right, I did have a reason for coming," the words rumbled from the irritated smile that graced his lips, just as his hand graced its way down Soeluna's body coming to rest at the underside of her thigh.

With a startled cry, she found herself hoisted off the bed completely, strapping arms holding her to a defined torso. She went stiff from surprise, before being laid once more on the messy bed, only this time paralleled to its length.

"What the!" staring up at the figure that over shadowed her, the female arrancar glared in restrained anger.

"Just wanted to make ya more comfortable," his purr to the words caused her aggravation to stagger, allowing for them to sink their icy needles into the nerves of her spine. The enticing charms of the Espada rang true as the his arrogance showed through an untamed appeal.

In a blur of blue and white, his presence dissipated through the air, door slamming closed in his apparent exit. A baffled Soeluna remained behind, ogling the spot the alluring miscreant had once occupied. Had he really just come to harass her?

Relieved at the departure of the bothersome man, scarlet eyes fell to the floor at the edge of the bed, a slight hesitation lingering in her glossy orbs. She honestly didn't know what to make of Grimmjaw Jaggerjack. He seemed quit animalistic in nature, yet his movements were hard to predict, and he appeared like a lion, always on the prowl. No, that wasn't quit right; he came across more as a black panther, forever stalking the night. _And me along with it, I suppose._ Letting a weary sigh escape her, she sat up and turned herself to face forward.

"Ya know yar eyes are totally kick ass up close,"

Yelping, eyes wide, she jumped back from the honest face that now lay in close proximity. But she found her body unable to comply with her startled mind, as her back came crashing down violently on the bed. A hard moan caressed the air as she reached a hand up to pacify her throbbing cranium.

"Heh, ya please easy," the man smirked.

Squinting, she found Grimmjaw to be contently straddling her waist, enthralled as he gazed down upon her in greed.

"What are you doing?" The snarl vibrating through her and into him.

Answering with a forlorn shrug, he mused, "Don't know. Just having fun. Sitting. On ya." He rocked, side to side, moving forward with the rocking motion to each sentence, praising his words in a mocking, almost sing-songy voice.

"Get off me!" bringing her arms up, she pushed against his shoulders, only to have them roughly seized and pinned to either side of her head.

"I'd rather not," he asserted, leaving no room for argument, "I rather like ya in this position,"

"What do you want!" her patience was wearing thin.

"Yar hole," as the words slunk from his throat, he savored the taste of them on his tongue. Her eyes bugged, face flustered at the lust and wantonness that laced his voice.

"I beg your pardon!"

"Yar hollow hole. Ya do have one right? I've never seen it. Care to share?" the last inquiry was more of a suggestion than a request. He leaned to hover above her, eyes half lidded in their lolling gaze of her, reflecting the dim light the room provided.. Wrinkling her nose, she boor her fangs, snarling in her discontent.

"Not. With. You!" Each word was individually hammered into him, her resolve unbroken. An arrogant smirk overtook his face with malicious intent, while something threatening flickered in his eyes.

"Too bad. Guess I'll have to find it my f***ing self." Hands letting go of her wrists, the Espada quickly sought to lay them over the redheads veiled bosom, presenting them with a harsh squeeze.

With a sharp intake of air, the girl yelped, chest rising into his fruitful grasp as a consequence of her gasp. He scoffed at the blatant embarrassment painting the tones of her scandalized face. Haughtily, his voice seeped into her as something in him stirred, "Ya seem to like getting yar titties f***ed with. If ya enjoyed that, ya're going to f***ing love what's coming up. Before I'm done ya'll be begging me ta slam into ya harder, faster."

His words dawned a new fear upon her and her mind raced in frenzy for a plan of escape. Soeluna thrust her hips up in an attempt to throw him off, but was thoroughly appalled when the man grabbed her arms, rolling his hips down into hers with equal force, grunting at the friction.

"Animal!" A mocking sneer strung at his lips as she pushed against him.

"Aren't we all? We're all Aizen's f***ing pets."

"Some more so than others," she growled, never backing down from his gaze.

"Don't worry. After tonight, ya'll be my '_f***ing _pet'."

Leaning down, Grimmjaw planted a sadistic kiss on her collar bone. But she was willful and gave not an inch as she struggled against his hold. When he got no reaction he moved down to lick tauntingly at the hint of cleavage revealed by her uniform. With a gasp, a tinge of pink came to cover her face. She growled at her own body's reaction and snarled,

"Go screw yourself."

"That's what ya're, for my little f***." Her breath hitched in her throat as the wet muscle slid along her skin, becoming more forceful as she sought to shrink away from the evasive touch. Releasing one of her arms, the man slowly began undoing the buttons that lined down her shirt jerking it off roughly when finished, giving his tongue better access to the unexplored territory. But Soeluna was never the type to surrender without a fight.

With all the strength her position would allow for, she brought her knee up hard, inches away from unmanning him. As he jerked in pain she brought her fist smashing into his face. Unfortunately for her it was the side that was adorned by his hollow mask.

With a hiss of pain, she pulled away, shaking the throbbing away. She knew this might be her only chance. In a final blow, she sent her elbow crashing down on the mess of teal hair. Stars flashed before his eyes while the woman scratched at his arms, causing the man to loosen his grip.

Army-crawling on her back, she began to wriggle her way from beneath the bewildered Espada. Stubborn as Grimmjaw was, he was not about to let his lust be denied. Through the pain and stars that danced in his eyes, he reached out to wind his fingers into an iron grasp of her airway. At her choked protest, his grip tightened against her pulling hands.

Grunting in pain, he adjusted himself to wait for the throbbing to subside.

"Bitch! And here I was trying to make this more enjoyable for ya." Through stiffened movements, he climbed his way up her body, coming to sit along her ribs below her breast. "The more ya struggle, the worse it's gonna get fer ya." Fighting to breathe beneath his weight, her resistance lessened with every rasp and wheeze that echoed from her throat. As her face began to grow pale, he released her, reveling in the rumbling feeling of her chest expanding beneath him in search of the air he had denied her.

As she gasped for air, she went to offer protest except she found herself interrupted by his fist smashing into her cheek. "That was a mistake." Taking the initiative to grab her wrists, he pulled them playfully to his lips. "Now, I wonder. What are ya hiding on these dangerous hands?" Before she could resist, he had pulled off both gloves and flung them to the floor.

Her left hand was just as any other, but her right held something of interest. The palm of her hand was tattooed with a gold angel wing from which ivory vines of a silver nature grew out to wined and weave around her fingers. Other than that, there was nothing of particular interest. "No hole. Can't say I'm disappointed though. A hole in yar hand might impair ya from doing… _certain things,_" he growled suggestively, licking his way up the palm of her hand, ending it with a playful nip at the end of her middle finger. Soeluna shivered at his touch.

Finally he sought to pin her hands beneath his knees, straddling the woman. Bolts of ecstasy shot down his spine at the feel of her bosom against his groin. Reaching over he grabbed a handful of sheets, filling the room with its screams as he tore a sizable limb from them. Winding the satin cloth around his fingers, he offered up a sadistic grin to taint his words with malice. "I was so hoping it wouldn't come ta this." Her glare pierced him but failed to mask the twinge of fear at her inability to fight. Frustrated with her position, she demanded of him angrily;

"Stop this instant and get the hell off of me!" Yet despite her protest, the teal haired assailant ignored her as he went about his work. The sheet was wound about her wrists tight enough to hold them, but loose enough to leave dreams of freedom digging at her mind.

He went to tie them to the headboard, Soeluna fighting him all the way, but to little avail. When she was finally secured, he sat up to admire his handiwork.

"Let! Me! Go!" Rolling his shoulders back, he allowed his white shirt to slip down fluidly to his elbows in a teasing manner. The female turned her head away, feeling her face warming at the sight of his hardened body glistening in sweat as he straddled her stomach.

"Look, the joke's over. You've had your fun. Now let me go, before you take this too far." Unable to contain her transparent embarrassment at the sight of his desirable structure, she simply refrained from looking, even when she felt him moving over her in what she thought was him leaving.

As she heard him chuckle, she breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of the ordeal being over and was beginning to contemplate how she would best kill the man when he unbound her.

To her surprise, she felt his heat return to her body, sending violent shivers shooting down her spine, but she still did not dare look. It wasn't until she felt him pull at her bra straps that her attention was jerked to her assailant.

Puffing his chest out, he struck a pose, his lean figure silhouetted by the feeble light that poured in through the window.

"Like what ya see?" Smirking, he soaked in her alarm as her face became as red as her hair.

She stared, a gawk, at a slightly tan, completely naked Grimmjaw. His shoulders squared in their broad pull of his chest, upper body curving in through the downward move of his torso. His chiseled abs compelled her eyes to roll down to his lower regions, led by a pin stripe of light teal hair that matured into a forest of curling locks. The man sneered down, pride welling up in him at his own anatomy. The girl's head jerked back so fast that something in it popped and was sure to be sore in the morning, but all she could think about was getting her face as far away from that man as possible. "Heh, don't be shy. Ya know ya want this f***ing bad." He purred sadistically as he moved his hips in closer.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH! GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screeched wide -eyed.

Remembering the use of her legs she pulled them up agilely, ankles crossing at the front of his throat, she pulled back in desperation. His back arching with the tug, he was pulled back into landing, legs splayed wide, only worsening the view for the poor virgin's eyes. "GAAAAAAAAAAA! 

NO!" She squeezed her eyes shut tight, trying to erase what had been seen from her mind. Her body constricting in panic, the hold her feet had on the man's neck only tightened.

It took several minutes for him to break free of the terrified girl's grasp, but when he did ,the Espada wasted no time to pin down her feet, huffing as he did.

"Damn!" he panted egotistically, "If ya wanted a better view, ya could have just asked." He finished his sentence with a purr placed delicately in her ear, topped with a sensual lick of her lobe. Soeluna closed her eyes, whimpering as the wet muscle once more roamed over her.

Trembling beneath him, tears began to stream down her face, staining the pillows in bitterness. Lapping up the product of her defeat, he went down to lay light fluffy kisses along her neck line. They only deepened into nips as he began to fumble with her bra. Wrenching the fabric from her body, his mouth worked feverishly to coat her skin in love bites, the location of her hollow hole long since forgotten.

But as he sought to remove her pants, the redhead was thoroughly engulfed in dismay. Grimmjaw gave a low growl as she struggled against him. She began to squirm franticly under his grasp, yelling out in desperation, tears pouring in anguish.

"NO! Somebody, help! SOMEBODY! AIZEN-" With a vicious roar, he bit down ferociously into her shoulder; jaw stretched wide around her collar, teeth sinking deep, fangs of his mask sinking deeper.

"Gggrrrrr!" Blood came to coat his palate, staining his lips in its color.

Her mouth flew open in a silent scream, body constricting at the feel of penetration. Feeling her muscles grow taunt around his gums, Grimmjaw grated his canines even further with ruthless abandon. "…nn…" The whine caused him to finally release her neck with a sadistic growl of dominancy.

"Don't ya dare call another man's name when I'm f***ing ya! Whore!" Licking his lips, he savored the bitter-sweet taste of the life-giving liquid that lingered thereafter.

Like a panther smashes down on his prey, so too did Grimmjaw bring his lips crashing down on her's with bruising force. Eating vigorously at her lips, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, exploring the newly claimed territory. Soeluna objected only once, but was quickly silenced by the brutal grinding of their hips as he threatened her with his supremacy.

Lying there, she was incapable of fighting the sensual actions forced upon her body, as helpless as a leaf in the breeze, but that didn't stop her from trying. Determined to escape, she bit down brutally on the wet muscle that occupied her mouth.

Grimmjaw jerked in pain, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he brought a hand up to roughly grab her jaw, his fingers digging into her cheeks as he forced her mouth open. The pressure he was putting on her mouth with his hands seared, but still she fought him, till finally, he managed to force her jaw to unlock, once more sliding his tongue in.

Nothing within her mouth lay untouched as the teal haired man's tongue slithered about over teeth, gums, lips. He seemed to enjoy most playing with her tongue as she fought off the urge to force the invader out. Gathering her tongue up in the back of her throat, she attempted to escape the man as he circled the pink muscle with his own. He pushed zealously against it, coaxing it to fight him back, lusting for the passionate struggle. But Soeluna was steadily growing more and more hesitant to resist him, seeing as it led only to her own pain.

"Gggrrrrrmmmmmhhhhhhhhh" The enriched growl steadily grew to a lusty moan as he drank in her taste.

Begrudgingly, Grimmjaw broke the kiss, more out of a need for air than anything else. The female could scarce manage a gasp before her mouth was once more ravaged. She squeaked at the feel of the man fondling her left breast, only granting his tongue greater access as it lapped at the back of her throat.

Despite all her strength she could not will herself to stop crying. She did not wish to show him weakness, but yet the thought of something as precious as her innocence being taken, instead of given, oh, how the tears did fall. Making no movements, for she found they endowed her shoulder in gargantuan pain, she recollected on what she could have possibly done to desserve this.

"Starting to like it, bitch, aren't cha?" he groaned, "I'll f*** ya good," breaking the kiss only to bring his mouth back to the crook of her neck, still gushing blood. "Twinkle twinkle little star, oh I'm goin' ta f*** ya hard," He proceeded to lap up the blood with that rough, cat-like tongue of his. This solicitated a choked moan of pain from the redhead as the teal haired man proceeded to massage her breast evenly with the movements of his tongue.

As his hands wandered over his victim, Grimmjaw felt a dangerous pleasure throbbing in his groin, causing him to wriggle uncomfortably, grinding down hard in search of relief. Her whimpering only spiked a new sense of arousal in the man.

His teal hair clung creepily round the curves of his features, drenched with sweat as it rolled down his face to drip from his chin. Chest heaving erratically, he fought to breath through the shocks of satisfaction. Eyes partially lidded in a heated haze that clouded all thoughts, he could feel himself getting hard and fought to maintain sanity as the redhead drove his body wild with pleasure.

Feeling he could wait no longer, the man snarled, wrenching what remained of her clothes from her body and flinging them aside. Soeluna contorted underneath him at the sense of being completely exposed to those ocean eyes that engulfed her.

"S-stop!"

Without warning, without preparation, and by no means in a tender manner, he thrust himself deep into her, ripping flesh as his size stretched her. She could not, nor did she try to, hold back the screech that tore from her, as something inside her erupted with inexperience pain. He gave a victorious smirk, watching as she writhed beneath him, breaths jagged as she squirmed.

"Ba-bastard… go to he-ah…" Her muscles clamped down around him, whimpers like a puppy that had been kicked. Yet, through it all, he embraced her trembling form.

Staying himself off as long as he could, the teal haired man sat immersed in the thrill of the young virgin encasing him, fighting the fidgety urges he got as his throbbing member was enveloped by her warm cavern. It was no easy task to stay off the lustful urge to move, seeing as he was so hard it was practically painful to remain still. Yet somehow he managed to remain unmoving long enough for his prey to grow used to the discomfort, at least as used to it as one can get when in her position. After several agonizing minutes, he leaned forward, arms now on either side of her head, and laid a light soothing kiss on her forehead.

"Shhhh," the tenderness of his coax scared the girl, as he stroked her hair protectively. She dared to look up at him through a hazy blur, tears burning her eyes a scarlet red. "Its ok. It will all be over shortly, I promise." Tears poured down the lines of her cheeks once more as he bestowed her with one final grace of his lips.

Oh, it was slow at first. Mildly rocking his hips back and forth, he began to loosen that passage, the blood that trickled out only helping further. The redhead hissed in pain, but made no sound otherwise, finally despairing to the horrors that were to be worked over her.

"f-f*-**… uh, so… tight…" Groaning into her hair, Grimmjaw marveled at how constricted she was around him, jolts of elation surging through him as he began to move deeper.

As his pace quickened, her pain increased, and his pleasure grew. Her back arched off the bed as she fought to suppress the moan of pain that threatened to ring forth. Both dripping sweat, her muffled cries filling the room, the feel of caressing skin as tanned met golden-brown, Grimmjaw could feel his control slipping away. He began to thrust deeper and deeper into the small figure, each drive gaining strength as he plowed into her, blinded by the wild pleasure that shot like electric jolts through his body.

The pain was horrendous as lightning bolts and flashing colors burst in her eyes, gasping desperately as she felt her body was torn in two, as if splitting her open from the inside. It hurt. It hurt like hell, No it hurt worse than hell, it hurt like no pain she had felt before. Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, it hurt her pride, it hurt her ego, but most of all, it shattered her world.

"Uhhh, S-STO-AHH-OP!" Fiery tempestuous kiss muffled the scream that roared from the woman's throat as his rhythm became more than she could bear.

But harder still he thrust, pushing deeper, moving faster, breaking every boundary, exceeding every limit. Movements sporadically unhinged, he pounded into her in a frenzied delirium. He became lost in her, enthralled in her. She was a smoky air of ecstasy he breathed, and the world around him disappeared. The Espadas, Los Noches, even that damned Aizen, everything was forgotten and for the most wondrous time, there was just him as he pounded into her.

He went till he thought he could go no faster, tearing into her as he voiced his own pleasure, thrusts tearing her apart. Then finally, as he thrust into her with shattering strength, she reached her breaking point.

"AHHH!" she howled as he allowed her to sink her teeth deep into his shoulder in an attempted to block out the swirling torrent of pain as her body clenched around him. He managed to hold out for a total of three more thrust.

"f-f***," With a final push he drove himself deeper than ever before within her, clinging tight to her writhing form as he spilt his seed into her. The last part of his cry was barely audible as he grunted it in her ear through gritted teeth, and mocking lips, " …love, ya." Too weak to try and discern what had been said, Soeluna could only go limp in his arms as the teal haired man finished riding his orgasm out.

Panting desperately, they collapsed on the bed, Grimmjaw too tired to even unsheathe himself from her. He just lay there stroking her hair, purring as he nuzzled into her affectionately. She wriggled slightly in his grasp, fatigue washed over her, and she wearily permitted him to nestle her against his chest, petting her rewardingly. She lay there listening as the soothing sounds of his purr rumbled dominantly through his sturdy torso. he coddled her wilting form, sweat drenched hair entangling in flames of red and ocean mist blue. She felt herself being lolled to sleep by the sounds of his breathing and the gentle caress of his paw doting on her. It disgusted her, but she was too weak to fight it anymore.

Tenderly, he reached up and untied the bonds that held her hands, bringing them softly down to lick compassionately at the bruises that had formed around her wrists. As she edged into sleep, Grimmjaw elusively kissed along her jaw line till he came to her ear, and with a belated repentance, whispered, "Sorry for having to be so rough," The sleeping form that was Soeluna muttered one dying rebuttal;

"No, you're… not." The Espada grinned quietly at the retort.

"My Soeluna, ya know me far too well,"

Making hardly any effort, he reached down, taking the ripped sheets in hand and enveloped their naked, intertwining bodies together under the covers. Entangling himself in her, he relished in the heat her body gave to his bare skin.

Enshrouded in silence they lay to fall asleep, neither aware that the storm clouds were beginning to roll in.


	16. Discovered

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language, rape, and dark theme.

**Warning: **Mention of rape, assault, violence, abuse, language, sexual references, and many other dark and disturbing things.

_I honestly have nothing to say. _

**Disclaimer:**

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It is difficult to overcome one's passions, and impossible to satisfy them

-Marguerite de La Sabliere  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 16. Broken Mirrors And Lighted Matches  
Part 2. Discovered

Liquid pools of light glistened over the broken form of what once was a proud Soeluna, warming her with its airy caress. Like a cat lounging in the sun, she let herself sleep a short while longer, as the sun did thaw her abused flesh. Her body ached, her lips were swollen, and her skin was branded heavily with the marks of that night. She was aroused from slumber by the dull tingle of pain and the stinging that pulsated through her lower regions. A part of her consciousness was, and had, been aware all along of what had taken place that night. Even in slumber, she had not been freed of the torments the teal haired Espada had worked upon her.

She squirmed slightly at the feel of sticky semen and drying blood that caked her inner thighs. As the sun quickly ducked behind some clouds ominously, Soeluna marveled at the dull distortion of her newly shattered reality as once more she fell to lay in the pits of a tortured eternity. Alone. Yes, always alone.

But it was not until she attempted to wriggle loose of her stained sheets, that she found, although the sun's light was gone, a warming heat still embraced her. A hushed purr rang its soothing tones into her ear, a slight blow of air tickling her lobe.

Reaching her arm up, she groped jadedly at the source of the noise just above her head, roving her fingers about as they entangled in silky teal hair. The purr grew louder and more contented at the feel of her massage. The source of warmth nuzzled in, cuddling her closely as it sought more from the touch. She could feel sturdy arms cradle her against a broad chest as the rumbling sounded from within.

"mmmmmhhh, yeeeaaaahhhhh, right there…" the words were growled contently into her ear, before a gentle kiss formulated itself on her cheek. Despite her broken state, she found the will to push weakly against his chest in a feeble attempt to escape. Calmly, the Sexta Espada collected the girl back into his arms. "Don't go. Stay a while, won't cha?" The calm manner in which the man asked caused Soeluna to falter. As he contently nuzzled in even closer, cat-like in manner as he purred his satisfaction, she could not help but question her own memory.

It had been rape, had it not? She did not remember consenting to anything he did last night. Then, why was he acting like what she had lost had been given, instead of taken. Like there had been some love or passion or feeling involved, instead of his sheer horny desires. Why was he cuddling her as if they had just shared a heartfelt, intimate moment? For that matter, why was he still here?

Why had he laid to embrace her in slumber all through the night, instead of simply leaving when he had gotten what he wanted. In ways, she wished he had. It would have made things a lot clearer, simple as black and white.

But now the line was blurred, and Soeluna wasn't sure what to make of the situation anymore. All she knew was that she was hurting. Her body ached. She felt like her world had been turned up side down and inside out and she was ashamed. How could she let him have his way! Not him! Oh God, not him!

"Why? Why are you doing this?" she wept weakly as tears began to once more pour freely. Opening his eyes lazily, he stared curiously at the droplets that rolled down her cheeks.

"Oi, come on, don't cry." Shrugging his shoulders, he pulled her in, holding her possessively as he licked away her tears, his rough tongue making her cringe as the memories of the wet muscle slithering over her came back. Snuggling his face to hers, he peered at her listlessly through half lidded gaze. It was with a gentle hand that he stroked and caressed the soft skin of her cheek as he played with the girl he had broken. "Come on. I didn't mean ta." To this her eyes snapped open. "It was just…"

"Rape?" the calm indifferent way she suggested it make him cringe slightly. "It was just rape?" Her words held no anger, nor any sadness, they were just empty hollow shells.

"I know, its-"

"Do you honestly think anything you say can excuse what you've done? You raped me! Why! How could you do that!" Grimmjaw faltered. There had been a reason, hadn't there? But for the life of him, he just could not remember it. Addled, he searched for an answer, doing his best not to let her see his wavering resolve.

"I thought ya said nothing I'd say would excuse what I did,"

"That's not the point, damn-it! Am I just some kind of one night toy to you! Something you can just come in, screw with, then leave after you've broken it to hell!"

"It ain't-"

"Then what is it! I'm just some _thing_ to you! I trusted you and you used me! I don't mean anything to you! But then why are you still here! If it was just rape then why'd you stay! You're a bastard! Monster! Don't touch me! Let go! Don't even come near me! Don't look at me! Aizen damn it. Why the Hell did you stay! Why couldn't you leave! You just don't- Why! Damn it, why! It just-I don't- how you-why!" Grimmjaw watched as the girl began to crumble in his arms, his face contorting into anguish as her words hit a nerve. She began to cry gasping sobs that filled him with a sort of pity. Wriggling, squirming, pounding her fists against his torso, she shrieked and blubbered and howled. The Sixth struggled to restrain the girl as she fought, his fear of being caught growing with every cry the woman produced. Tears pouring, sobs hitching sporadically in her throat, she wailed violently, choking her cries in an attempt for air.

In all honesty, the Sixth had no clue what to do as the girl fell to pieces in his arms, howling. Feeling the anger of frustration gurgle up from inside of him at his inability to calm the girl, a voice not his own growled out as his body acted where mind would not.

"SHUT UP!"

Muscles acting of their own bitter accord, he struck out with all his force, bringing his hand across her cheek, face flinching at the sickening sound that the blow produced. Watching her, his gaze intense, his mouth parted slightly as she lay there motionless, her face buried in the pillow where the strike had laid it. Silence followed, engulfing the room with an icy chill.

Anger was only in his nature. Tormenting: a hobby. Fighting: an addiction. Violence: an instinct. Temper: as unstable as his mood. Strength: a necessity thereof. He was never one for patience and became impulsive when frustrated. But what else could be said. He is what he is, and being as he was, went about everything in gruff indifference, heartless distain, and rash aggression. He was, as Luppi had once described him to the redhead, "a heartless bastard". He was untamed and unreserved, his approach as coarse and callused as his hands. In no way was the Sexta Espada's demeanor yielding to any sort of sentimentality. His belligerent manner was offset by nothing within him. His personality and any sort of kindness or compassion, like two parallel lines, were never crossing, never intersecting, always to remain separated.

Finally, after minutes disguising themselves as hours, the stillness was broken. Slim battered shoulders, bruise covered and bleeding, began to quiver. Muffled sobs escaped the cushion to pull at the arrancar's attention. Slender hands, followed by bruised wrists flowed up ghostly to hide her face. Scowling, the Sixth watched the shattered form weeping in the shadows of the morning, her crumpled and broken being contrasting with the optimistic sun rise. Reaching out, fingers stroked the mat of messy hair, his frown deepening as he felt her recoil at the touch. Pulling his hand back hesitantly, he thought for a moment before his arms sought to pull her tight to his torso, never releasing her, despite her feeble protests.

"Let me go! Just let me go, you Bastard!"

"No!" Growling into her neck, he held firm, unwilling to let go as he clung tight to her back.

"Let me go! Don't touch me! Get away! Damn it! I hate you! I hate you!" Pulling his head back, he looked down at her angrily.

"Grrrrrrr, Just shut up!" Any protest she might have offered was smothered in a choking kiss.

"mmmmhhhh?"

She squirmed beneath his well-shaped frame, clamping her eyes shut against the tears that threatened to spill forth. But it could not be denied that this kiss was different then the ones of prior date. He in no way tried to force his tongue into her mouth. The act was not filled with lust nor desire. It was a simple thing that only confused Soeluna further as the Espada massaged her lips with his own.

Too weak to argue, she simply gave in to his demands, allowing him to knead her lips as he himself became absorbed in the fervor of his actions. Lidding his own eyes, Grimmjaw continued to seek his pleasure, not caring that the act brought no enjoyment to the redheaded victim. One hand snaking its way up her back, it came to brace the back of her head as he ate smoothly at her lips. Bobbing his head in and out, back and forth, he sucked at her mouth, reveling in the feel of her soft lips between his.

Slowly, hesitantly, reluctantly, he backed down from the kiss, breath somewhat excited by the lack of air the little smooch had caused. Enveloping himself around her still quivering form, he commenced stroking her hair with a sick and twisted sort of possession that terrified the girl as he buryied his lower face in he fluffy locks.

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"hhhmmm, how… interestin'." With that, Gin slipped his head through the door undetected, closing it with a silence like the wind as he stepped back from his spying perch. For once, it was not a mocking smile that graced his lips, but a frown. His face was edged with concern and an inaudible apprehension that lingered long after the Cheshire grin had once more consumed his features.

He had been coming to pay Soeluna a friendly visit when he had walked in on their sleeping forms. Based off the marks, the blood, her bruised wrists, the tears that had still been streaming down her cheeks, and the pinkish white liquid that stained the sheets, it was not hard to deduce what had taken place that night.

He had stayed to watch through the crack of the door what had followed thereafter, only confirming his strong suspicions of Grimmjaw's actions. With his retsu masked, it had not been hard to spy on the two as they quarreled. He had known the Sexta Espada to be an animal, but never thought him to sink this low.

"Aizen-sama will wish ta hear o this," With that, the former shinigami rushed away to inform his leader of his new discovery, eager to see Grimmjaw punished for his shameful act.

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Victimized body slumped listless across the yielding mattress, covered only by the thin sheets now soiled, she flinched at the sound of metallic droplets pelted forth from the shower's nozzle. Unable to feel the sun's warmth, a frigid otiose carved its barren meaning into the rigid shards of her psyche. She might have run, tried to escape, made a dash for freedom. Gin, Yami, Halibel, Stark, even Nnoitra, one of them would have helped her, wouldn't they? But now, lying their in the filth that had stained her innocence, she found herself too in shock to do anything other than lay there.

Broken, used, dirty, sinful, helpless, abandoned, toyed with, ravished, violated, defiled, prostituted, take your pick, she felt them all. Lying there she was disgusted by herself, hated herself, blamed herself.

It was her fault, this was a punishment, she could have done more to escape, could have fought harder, she liked it. She was a slut, a whore who had enjoyed the attention of the man and the acts he had worked upon her. She had wanted it, craved it, found pleasure in it, and to deny this would be self righteous.

That is what she told herself. Truth of the matter withstanding, none had been her fault and no pleasure had been obtained through the act, lest not on her part.

But ever still, the bubble that held her little world of security and comfort had been popped. She found herself in a cold unforgiving world where all were strangers and familiarity was not to be found. There she lay, drowning in the pool of misery and confusion. No one to turn to. No where to hide. Just a toy, broken and tainted.

In the room adjoined to the one which Soeluna inhabited, Grimmjaw stood equally as naked water pursued the curves of his chiseled body as it rained down to muddle on the shower floor before being swept away down the drain. A smirk pulled at his lis, complementing the purr that sang forth from his throat. The water was warm and felt pleasurable tickling him with its caress, steam rising to engulf his mind in a blissful haze.

He was at peace with the world, contented, comfortable. He didn't know how, but things seemed… different. He liked it. Something inside of him seemed to glow with fulfillment, its light shining out to cast away the shadows, giving him a new angle on life. He was satisfied with his dominance of the red head. Admittedly though he was discontented by her protest of his desires, the teal haired arrancar speculated the girl would come to see it his way with time and practice.

He gave a toothy grin as the image of the young vixen gasping underneath him flashed through his mind. He had to admit, she wasn't the most voluptuous woman out there, and her stubborn strength could be a total turnoff at times. But the sight of her covered in sweat and the bruises he had endowed her with, coupled with the feminine moans as he worshiped her unshielded body with his hands and mouth, was just plain sexy as hell. Feeling himself coaxed into arousal, the Sixth hastened to finish cleaning himself, ready for the next round.

Soeluna heard as the other turned the water off, but nothing of her outward expression hinted at any reaction. Completely aware as the teal haired brute entered the room, she made no movement. Lying as if in a coma, her sense of caring was lost at the moment. Even when the other went to stand in front of her listless gaze, bare hips directly in her line of sight, she simply blinked slowly and peered up at him, face empty and unaffected.

He was naked still and somewhat damp, left hand on his hip as his right ruffled a towel over the dripping mess of teal locks. Body glistening newly cleaned, his muscular form towered demandingly over the redhead, smirking down at her arrogantly. But Soeluna gave no reaction. Not to how he loomed over her, their state of nudity, or the presumptuous way his gaze hung on her.

There was nothing she had left to hide. Nothing she had left to hold onto. He had taken all that away from her.

Bending slightly, he reached out to stroke her cheek, disappointed when she didn't flinch. Allowing his hand to descend down her body, he quietly withdrew the sheets to expose her abused anatomy painted by blood, bruises, and semen. Slowly and impassively, she attempted to cover herself with her arms, only to have the man reach down and pull her hands away with a gentleness that pained her.

"Don't hide your self from me." Lips drawing wider in their smirk, he rolled her compliant form onto its back, moving to sit in between her knees.

"Here, why don't I clean ya off," bringing the wet towel to her legs, he wipe along her inner thigh, gently washing away the dried blood and sticky semen from her legs. She gave a vague cringe when he began to massage the area in between, but quickly adjusted as the sense of being touched came back to her. Aroused, the Sixth leaned over to drag his coarse tongue up the center of her abdomen, continuing to trace little circles upon reaching her rib cage.

Tossing the towel aside, the Sixth crawled over the redhead so that he hovered less then a foot above her. He offered up a perverse sneer before dipping his head down to lap, nip, suck, and utterly devour her breast. A slight twitch of her facial expression served as his only reply. Never the less, she wasn't fighting back, and he took this as a good sign.

Sliding his way up her body he came to stare intensely down at her, electric blue eyes fixed with a pleasurable hunger. Lifeless red orbs met his in a mute emptiness, devoid of all feeling.

Tongue flicking out, he traced the form of her lips eagerly, never breaking eye contact as he continued to pierce her with his gaze. The wet muscle slid in as he closed the distance between them, predatory sneer twisting of his features. Savagely he forced the kiss deeper, devouring her mouth in a search of his pleasures.

Soeluna hated this and she hated him. But of all the acts he performed upon her, this was one that confused and tortured her the worst. Violating her, fondling her, dirtying her, ravaging her. He had done it once already, she had no doubt he would do it again if given the chance. But what of this?

To her, sex was the act of female and male intercourse, performed, to be morally correct between a married couple, for reproductive purposes. To put it in a more mathematical sense: (Woman + Man) x Sex = Baby. End of discussion, no argument. That's what God made sex for. Not for fun, not as some game. SEX WAS TO MAKE BABIES!

Yet it seemed some found pleasure from this act and came to seek it for more than just reproductive purposes. Grimmjaw found sex pleasurable, and apparently lacking the ability to get laid by anyone else, came to seek it through brute force. And it was due to this that she found his kisses so unfitting. Wasn't a kiss something you shared with someone you had feelings for? A boyfriend, husband, loved one, family member. Then why was he eating so hungrily at her lips if all she was to the Sexta Espada was a sex toy?

It all made no sense. She wished that if he was going to do this to her again he'd just do it and get it over with. These meaningless kisses that were given while he defiled her only served to disgust the redhead as he tried to mimic some form of romantic passion in them.

Sloppily he mauled at her rosy lips, the whole thing rather awkward and clumsy. Yet he seemed to be getting aroused from it.

Pressing weakly against his chest, Soeluna attempted to sink back into the bed as far away from his kisses as possible. But it seemed she could not get far enough as he continued to ghost light nips down her jaw line. Still leaning over her naked form, the Sexta pulled back to look intently down upon her.

"Come on, it wasn't that bad, was it?" his question was asked iredulously, an amused smirk providing the salt for her wounds, "Well, we'll just have to make this time better, won't we?" Leaning down, he went to reattach their lips as his hand moved down her side towards her leg.

In one swift and indefinite moment, it happened. Fist came to collide with a set of solid, unprepared abs, knocking the wind out of the blow's recipient in a blur of white. Grimmjaw went flying to sprawl across the floor in a heap, but Soeluna did not see this. Lying there, she had watched as some indefinite object had thrown the teal haired brute from atop of her. Remaining still, she ogled the ceiling in confusion, body unwilling to move. After hearing a prompted curse from the arrancar, a shadow came to loom over her, its form slim and wiry. Meekly, red locks shifted as her gaze turned to its side to meet the scene that was awaiting her.

There lay a still naked Grimmjaw slumped on the floor, rubbing his head as he looked upon his attacker. Two other Espadas, Yami and Stark, stood to fill the doorway. Yami wore a disgusted snarl as he glared down at the Sexta Espada. Stark however, watched Soeluna, mutely before turning to scowl disdainfully at the sixth as well.

The shadow that covered her like a blanket came to be attached to a tall lanky form recognizable as Gin. He had positioned himself between the abused girl that lay on the bed and the stunned Grimmjaw on the floor, fist still clenched tight from his attack on the criminal Espada. The ex-shinigami's stature took a powerful stance, unchallenged in his protection of the girl.

The Sixth just gawked up at the silver haired fox dumbfounded, as if in a state of utter flummox that he had been caught. With a glare of icy daggers, Gin kicked out at the unprotected arrancar. The other just barely had time to cover his manhood before the blow made contact. He continued to pelt the stunned Espada with several more strikes before regaining his composure to give orders to the two who stood idly by watching the show with enjoyment.

"Take 'im." With a nod the two moved from the door frame to loom menacingly over the disoriented man.

He gave a yelp as both men jerked him to his feet by his arms, tugging both limbs to cross at his back in a most painful stretch. Wriggling in against his captors, Grimmjaw sought to free himself from their restraint, but not a second's hesitation was given for him to lurch loose. Sadistically Yami tweaked the others arm back further, causing him to lean with the pull as he went stiff, a muffled cry of pain being his only regrettable action.

"What the hell! Get off me, ya bitches!" Soeluna was startled as Gin delivered a swift blow to the struggling Espadas stomach, or at least the area above his hollow hole. Grabbing the teal heads jaw, ghostly palm covering that vile mouth, sinewy fingers digging deep into the others cheeks, he pulled so that teal eyes stared at him intently. The lines of his pale face stretched thin, eyes slitting open to make a pointed scowl of justifiable vengeance. Lips pressed firm in a demonic smirk that had the sixth convinced he was staring into the face of the devil. His whole continence was ghastly in the extreme.

"Thought ya had gotten away with it, didn't ya?" the voice hissed menacingly, like a snake coiled to strike. Icy blue orbs were exposed by the wide frame of their lids, mouth pulling slightly agape though it lay hidden behind the spindly hand of the former shinigami.

Pushing away from the criminal Espada, Gin turned to take brisk step in closing the distance to the victim. As he began to reach a hand out to the wilted form, an arrogant bark erupted forth from the agitator's throat. Ignorant to his situation, Grimmjaw jerked forward as the man neared his toy. His!

"Don't ya f***ing touch her!" The Sexta snarled, threatening from his detained position. Not even turning to face the irate thug, the silver haired fox commanded in cold detachment;

"Yami," a satisfied grin grew across said Espada's face as he nodded in acknowledgment.

"With pleasure." Without hesitation, an oversized fist was brought crashing into a teal head of equal size. Neck snapping, the metallic taste of blood swirled about the recipient's mouth as well as a couple of small hard objects which proved to be broken or dislodged teeth.

Attention once more turned to the girl. The ex-captain of the third squad of the Soul Society went to reach out for the second time to the slumped form. He was meaning to brush the few strands that sheltered her face away and gently take hold of her shoulder in reassurance. Was, that is, if it weren't for the violent cringe the woman gave as his hand approached and the heart shaking whimper. Subtle hurt shone clearly on his face. Gin withdrew his reach, faltering at the blatant fear the man had instilled in the woman.

Standing there for a moment he let his shoulders slump, pity welling within him at what had befallen the female arrancar. It was with a regretful tone that he released a weighted sigh, shifting in his stance as the girl cowered before him.

Something warm and cozy canvassed itself around Soeluna's battered form, covering her exposure in its protective veil. Opening her eyes she looked down in surprise at a white, clean, comforting captain's jacket that draped around her, warming her abused flesh with heat from its previous owner. Looking up, Gin graced her with a soothing smile. Well, more a pull of his lips in sad jest than an actual smile, but his words were consoling as he leaned over to pat her head affectionately.

"Iz ok. Ain't goin ta let no one hurt ya no more." Nimbly, lean sturdy arms burrowed beneath her, hoisting the red head into his secure hold.

The woman was distressed at first, but as the silver fox commenced to rocking her as one would a child, she came to a small sense of ease. Cradling her gently against his chest, he let her face be buried into the crook of his neck, stiff fingers clutching tight to his shirt as the broken being pressed into him. Every muscle in her body felt tense in his grasp. Stiff and fearful, she clung to him as if he was going to drop her any second.

As he held the mistreated woman, his hands did not splay our to lay across the flesh in support of his hold. Instead they were clenched tight into fist, so as to in no way give the poor dear any reason to question his intentions. Holding on to him as if for dear life, Soeluna squinted her eyes open to peer over the lean shoulder of the ex-shinigami. Her gaze by chance fell on the restrained Grimmjaw.

He glared fixedly at the two as he seethed in anger. Yet his eyes, dancing dangerously like blue electricity, almost seemed to waver in questioning, as if in some form of doubt. Snapping violently, his stare penetrated her with a blazing resentment. Tanned upper lip curled in indignation, snarl vibrating deep in his throat as the vixen was given a look of hell.

"Bitch! Ya f***ing little whore! Worthless peace o' f***!" The terrified redhead recoiled in fright at the onslaught of profanities, fingers digging into Gin as she trembled. Yami raised his fist high above the mess of teal hair as the raging Sixth continued to bark violently, "Don't act like yar skinny little ass doesn't get around! Just admit it! I'm the best screw ya've had since ya go-"a sickening sound like a chunk of raw meat hitting the wall came to stifle the vulgar assault, followed swiftly by an alien silence.

Grimmjaw was thrown forcefully to the ground by the impromptu hit that had smashed into his skull mercilessly. Gin was surprised however that it was not Yami who had silenced the vile offender, though he seemed all too ready and willing. No, it was Stark, of all people, whose foot was now crushing the Sexta's cranium into the floor with weighted force, as if squishing a diseased roach.

"You know, the world would be a lot nicer and quieter place if we just cut that vile tongue out of your mouth," he stated bluntly as the other wriggled like mad beneath his large shoe. Leaning forward, the brunette sought to put forth more of his own weight upon the squirming sixth, causing his head to throb from the pressure. Twisting his arm up as best he could, Grimmjaw reeled in an attempt to blast the other with a strong cero. To his frustration, none came forth. Throwing his hand out once more, he again attempted the attack, only to once more fail.

"What the f***!" cursing, he attempted to swing out at the other, merely to have his wrist seized and brutally wrenched across his back parallel to his shoulder blades.

"Heh, I thought the bastard might try something, so I slipped that on," Yami stated tauntingly, sausage-like finger pointing down. Following the line of his finger, teal orbs caught sight of a dull glint level with the floor. The pinned Espada's face contorted in rage at what he saw. A fervent growl ripped forth from his hoarse throat.

There on his left wrist, was a small metal band clasped tight to him, gleaming in the light of the morning sun. Furiously he thrust his arm wildly about in an endeavor to throw the bracelet from him, but when he ceased his thrashing the lackluster glint still shown above his hand.

Gin smirked coyly at the criminal's efforts to rid himself of the binding that hindered the use of his powers. Strutting forward so as to loom over the redhead's attacker, the ex-shinigami leered down upon him. He made sure to lace every syllable with a vindictive wickedness.

"Aizen isnt pleazed, Grimmy," teal orbs widened at the mention of their leader and punisher "He know's what ya did… an he's not pleazed one bit." The meek form of Soeluna cringed at the sudden yelp the Espada gave out as Gin tromped down on his hand, digging his heel into the limb as he grated it down mercilessly, "But right now he's da least o yar problemz."

By some unspoken understanding Stark lifted his foot and backed away from the delinquent, Yami being quick to follow suit. The Sexta Espada scarce had time to lift himself up on one singular elbow before the boney part of Gin's foot came slamming into his face, throwing him back across the floor. Groaning, he clutched at his injury, curling his body at the pain shooting along the bridge of his nose as blood trickled from it. Never wasting time, Gin assaulted the writhing Espada's stomach with a kick of unnecessary force.

Mercilessly he continued to wail on the helpless arrancar, teeth clenching tight as his own rage caught up with him. All the victim of the silver fox's onslaught could manage was the feeble raising of his arms to shield his head from the flurries of kicks that assaulted him. Cries filling the air, Grimmjaw gasped in enhanced pain doe to his weakened state.

Make no mistake, the furor of this act was violent, ferocious. In unreserved alarm of its brutal character, Soeluna clung tight to Gin in deathly fright. Pure intensity of the surroundings coming to disenchant her into distress.

Shivering violently, she became overwhelmed by a hurried sensation of terror that disillusioned her beyond the capabilities of clear thought as her mind raced along the lines to one petrified truth. End, end, end, it must! It must! It must end. Madness be ceased, nightmares of demons to be brought to a close. It must, for surly if it did not she would suffer the excruciating death agonies of terror and heart ceased to beat for strain of horror that wrought upon her like vermin to a corpse.

"Stop it! Stop it! JUST STOP IT!"

The occupants of the room whom stood floundered to gawk at her in eerie disbelief. All the while Grimmjaw clutched at his wounds in a dizzy of pain. Gin stared transfixed at the young victim, taken aback at the outburst that had erupted forth from her meager form. Expression softening into one of remorse, his manner took on a sentiment which is that of tender pity as he realized the uproar he'd cause had now come to rile the girl's already edgy nerves into a frazzled hysteria. Lowering his head, he nuzzled it into hers, silver strands intermingling with red as soothing words were whispered to her in comfort.

"Shhhh, iz ok." He cooed methodically to her "''m sorry I frighen'd ya. We'll let Aizen-sama deal wid 'im." In one sinuous movement he turned and began to strut towards the door. Wordlessly, Yami and Stark pulled the cringing Sixth up, not even taking the time to let him regain his footing before dragging him off behind the silver haired fox. He had had his moment of heaven, now he had to pay the devil's price.


	17. The Trial

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language, rape, and dark theme.

**Warning: **Mention of rape, assault, violence, abuse, language, sexual references, and many other dark and disturbing things.

_Ok, so, I know you all are probably thinking I'm the most screwed up person on earth at this point, but I assure you, Soeluna will have her revenge. Irony is, after all, the greatest form of justice._

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach.

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A wise man gets more from his enemies than a fool from his friends

-Baltasar Gracian  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 17. Broken Mirrors And Lighted Matches  
Part 3. The Trial

She felt broken. She felt used, like a white sheet stained by black ink, never to be clean again. And to her, it was as if all could see this, as if her impurity showed bright to the world, announcing to all what had been done.

She could not bring herself to meat their gaze, eyes fixed coldly on the floor, she held tight to Gin, flinching at the stares that fell upon her. It felt as if each gaze that looked upon Soeluna's battered form bore a hole through her, hollowing her through from the inside out.

Grimmjaw was forced to his knees by the rough hands on his shoulders. Arms bound at his back, he was shoved to crouch parallel to the floor, chest pushed into his knees as his shins were pressured into the hard floor. One of the two Espada's hands pinned his head to the floor on his right side. Squinting up, he was allowed the tormenting spectacle of the redhead porcelain doll he had broken as she was what lay in the direct line of his sight. The silver haired fox held her a good fifteen or so feet away, but it might as well have been two inches, for she was all he saw.

Surrounding them was Aizen's entire arrancar army. From all the nameless low ranked foot soldiers, to the fraccions, the human girl Orihime, to the other seven Espadas, Gin and Touzen, and finally their god himself, Aizen.

The brunette former shinigami sat at the throne, pinching the bridge of his nose as if in deep disappointment. Touzen stood off to the side, slight perplexed ambience mingling about his usual disapproving scowl. Though he could not see what was going on, he had learned to sense others' retsu to the point where he could get an image of what was around him. The problem was, Soeluna had no retsu, therefore he could only detect her using his other four senses. The other Espadas remained to either side of their leader, their fraccions holding formation behind them. Befuddled, they passed tentative glances amongst their ranks.

It seemed that none save Aizen and the five that stood in the center of the room knew what was going on. Well actually, the two guard Espadas and Gin may have known, but Soeluna and Grimmjaw didn't have a clue.

Murmurs and assumptions were spread whisperingly about the assembly as all eyes fell upon the battered form of Soeluna and the practically naked Sexta Espada. The redhead was wrapped only in the ex-captain's third guard squad jacket as its owner held her comfortingly while he awaited instructions from their leader.

However the recently beaten Sexta was allowed no more than the very same dirtied white cloth he had used to clean the girl. Hanging haphazardly from his hips, its knot was tied loosely and its damp blood and semen splattered form was in constant jeopardy of falling off to leave him in exposure. Not that it really covered him that well, but from the appearances of the two, the crowd could deduce the nature of their present predicament.

Ulquiorra glared disgustedly at the teal haired menace. Halibel sent daggers shooting at him with her eyes. Szayel gritted his teeth in the most violent way as he attempted to control himself, his fraccions inching away at sensing his anger. Even Nnoitrora let a zealous snarl house deep in his throat as he looked upon the Sexta.

Finally the room became hushed as the man that sat upon the marble throne crossed his legs and knitted his fingers together to place his chin upon.

"Sexta Espada Grimmjaw Jaggerjack, you are here to be tried, as witnessed by your peers, for the crimes you have committed as charged by Gin Ichimaru in defense of your fraccion, Soeluna. Each faction will be allowed the opportunity to present their evidence and argue their case. Final judgment will be left to the supreme leader. He, who is I, will declare punishment, if there is to be any." Leaning in closer, molten chocolate eyes lullingly fell down on the criminal with supremacy, "Considering the evidence surmounted against you, I would suggest you make this easier on everyone and yourself and cooperatively admit to the deed."

"What the f***." The sixth spat at his head was pressed further into the floor. Ignoring the wrongdoer's exclamation, the brunette continued.

"Gin Ichimaru, you may now state the offense with which he is charged." Gin stepped forward, still holding the redhead. Not even turning to face the restrained Espada, he pronounced the crime loud and clear, so that all within the vast room would hear.

"I charge Grimmjaw with assault, battery, rape, and multiple attemptz at rape, all aimed at 'is fraccion, Soeluna." All eyes flew to the teal haired man. It was no surprise to them that Jaggerjack was being accused of rape; he was heartless, cold, and animalistic enough to do it. What more surprised them was that he had raped Soeluna, he hated her. But maybe that in its self was the explanation. He did it to hurt her, to break her, to show her he was stronger, he was alpha. Ever since the beginning it had been a constant power struggle between the two and he did what he did to humiliate and control her.

"I see…" Aizen mumbled as he watched the girl clinging to Gin, "proceed."

"At approximately 7:30 or so, I went ta go pay Soeluna a friendly visit. I knocked and when no one answered I peeked in. At first I only saw Soeluna lyin' in bed. I thought I'd let her sleep so I went ta leave. But before I closed da door I saw somethin move on da other side o da bed. It waz dat bastard." He spat as if the very words disgusted and appalled him, glaring at the sixth as he did.

"And what made you so sure it was rape?" the brunette judge questioned casually.

"He had 'is god damn handz all wrapped around her an waz holdin' her ta 'is chest, so I couldn't see her front. But it wz easy ta tell they waz both undressed an da sheetz were stained with blood an semen. She had bruisez all along her neck an large teeth markz on her left side, like he had tried ta take a chunk out o her shoulder. He had a few scratchez 'imself. On 'is shoulderz an armz, an a bite mark on 'is right shoulder, like she had been tryin' ta escape. But da physical aspect dat convinced me da most waz dat her wristz ad bruisez as if they'd been bound, tight. I could also tell dat she'd been cryin', hard, still waz wh'n I found her." He hugged the woman in tight and both the teal haired criminal and his judge noticed that the girl had begun to tremble, her knuckles turning white from the force she used to clutch at the man's gi.

"I stayed ta watch what happened next… an it sickened me. Sexta acted like there waz nothin' wrong with wha he did, while Soeluna, understandably, waz confused an frightened. He even admitted ta it bein' rape, not knowin' dat I waz watchin'. An when Soeluna tried ta struggle loose… he hit her. Square across da face. I could o killed 'im then an there." With that statement Grimmjaw felt the pressure on his back increase, and heard someone, Yami maybe, give a low growl above him. But what Gin did astounded everyone, he frowned. Not only that, but his teeth began to grate together and his features became mangled in rage. Grimmjaw found his voice was lost. All through Gin's testimony, words would not come to him. He saw the silver fox's lips moving, but his words came as if through a dream. His tongue felt swollen, mouth dry, mind blank as he was forced to relive what he had done through a new light.

"She waz cryin'… an he hit her. Da bastard showed no remorse f'r what he did. Then, as if dat wazn't enough, he forced her ta kiss 'im, then laid there, refusin' ta let her, go. I rushed straight ta ya ta tell ya wha had happened an then gathered two Espadaz an got over there as quick as we could." He paused to look down at the quivering woman in his arms. Leaning his head down, he whispered some soothing words into her ear. The female shook her head insistently, muttering something in reply. Tilting his head back to return his gaze to their leader, he continued. "Where waz I? Oh yes! I got da two Espadaz, Stark an Yami bein' da first two at hand, an made haste back ta Soeluna's chamberz. When we got there, he waz at it again." The words were ground out as if uttered a thousand times over and a thousand times more, "Leaning over her an kissin' her he waz. As ya can guess they waz both naked. She waz pushin' at 'im, but ya could tell she waz afraid. When he started bitin' her neck, dat's when I went in. Didn't even notice us enter, not dat we waz tryin' ta be sneaky. Anyway, we threw 'im off o her an got 'im all restrained. He seemed so surprised he had been caught. Da poor deary though, she waz scared ta death, too afraid ta let even me touch her. Da bastard deserves ta rot in hell!" with that final statement Gin stepped back into place, readjusting the girl in his arms as he did.

"His bruises. What of them? You made no note of them in your testimony." The brunette nodded towards the Sixth's battered form. Glancing over, Gin gave a genuine smile of satisfaction, one that terrified many more than his usual Cheshire grin. Tilting his head slightly, he replied pleasantly,

"He resisted." An irrepressible tremor overtook the crowd at seeing the sinister smirk on the silver haired fox's face.

Nodding in slight amusement, Aizen turned to face the three Espadas in the center of the room. Leaning back in his throne chair, he stared down the bridge of his nose at them.  
"Stark, can you give us your account of what happened?" It was more of a command than a request as the first Espada stepped over the sixth and into the spot the ex-captain had previously occupied.

"Yes, Aizen-sama." The lean brunette gave a respectful bow before continuing, "It is as Gin said. I was asleep in my room when Gin came barging in and told me to come with him. I followed unquestioningly. When we got to Soeluna's room Yami was already there waiting for us."

"And you agree with Gin's statement on what you witnessed of Grimmjaw's actions?" Aizen inquired.

"Yes, sir." Stark nodded, "From what I saw, he was forcing himself on her. It was evident that it had not been consensual and she was obviously resisting. When we apprehended him, he started assaulting her with vulgar terms and immoral accusations."

"Such as?"

"Dare I repeat them? If I must. He called her a 'bitch', a 'whore', 'worthless peace of f***' if I remember correctly. He told her, and I quote 'Don't act like yar skinny little ass doesn't get around! Just admit it! I'm the best screw ya've had since ya got here.' He would have said more had we not silenced him."

"Anything else?"

"Oh, yes. Something Gin failed to mention. When we entered, right before Gin pulled the Sexta off of his victim, I heard him talking to her. I believe what he said was something along the lines of taunting her. Asking her if it was really that bad. Then telling her he'd just have to make this time better. And he gave the impression that he was completely ready to repeat the action."

"Did he admit anything about it being rape?" the brunette questioned.

"Not directly. But there were insinuations." The Prima Espada pronounced.

"Is that all?"

"Yes sir," he declared before stepping back into his position above the Sexta Espada.

"Yami, will you step forward please." With a gruff snort, the gargantuan Espada came to take the spot that the two before him had previously occupied, not before casually kicking the sixth in the face as he walked by. Folding his large arms across his broad chest, Yami waited impatiently with a disapproving frown on his face.

"Would you care to give us your testimony on this morning's events?"

"Hell yeah I would!" he snorted readily, "I can't tell ya any o the shit he might o' done last night, cause quite frankly if I had been there it wouldn't a happened. But I can tell ya o something both Gin-sama and Stark didn't see." At this, everyone seemed to scoot forward as if he was divulging some great secret, which in truth, he was. Aizen razed an eyebrow as his hand motioned for the Espada to continue.

"Well I was working out in the training hall when Gin-sama ran up and demanded I meet him outside of Soeluna's room. He told me to just wait in the hall for him and not go in till he arrived. Didn't know what it was about at the time, but I went along, I mean, I had to. Anyway, when I got there I waited for about five minutes before I started getting impatient. And when I heard noises coming from behind the door, I just had to investigate. And after all this, you can probably guess what I saw," he smirked as he turned to give the Sixth a maniacal look. Grimmjaw could feel something sink in the pit of his stomach, "That horny bastard was all over her, touching her, groping her, and the sick little animal kept dragging his tongue _all over her._" Even Aizen's eyes opened a bit at this statement.

Many Espadas glanced over to the poor victim, their gaze filled with pity or sympathy. Some even seemed pained. Nnoitrora seemed especially wounded when his gaze took to her direction, as if feeling her pain. Ulquiorra alone remained apathetic to the whole situation, "He crawled on top of her and started fondling her. Then he started kissing her and forcing himself on her even more-"

"What did you do?" Aizen asked as he crossed his legs and leaned back in his thrown.

"Well, in all honesty, I was about to go in there and rip the bastard's balls off and shove 'em down his Aizen damn throat, when Gin-sama and Stark came running up." He stopped, looking slightly disgruntled at not getting his chance to pummel the traitor. Chancing a glare at the teal haired Espada, he saw that the man's gaze was fixed upon the trembling redhead whom Gin held. This caused an animalistic snarl to grow forth from the Tenth's throat. "Everything that happened after that was just as Gin-sama said." He finished, turning to take his spot by Stark.

"All three witnesses have given good testimonies, but we still have yet to hear from the victim," Aizen stated, standing up from his throne. Stepping forward, the brunette floated down from the ledge on which his throne resided. Landing lightly on the ground, he strode over towards the woman, Gin walking forward to meet their leader. But as the distance between them closed, Soeluna's grip on the silver haired fox grew stronger and more desperate as she pressed harder against him.

"Please, no, don't let him look at me…" she breathed shakily into Gin's neck. With that, the ex-shinigami stopped, looking down at the woman in surprise.

"What is wrong, Gin?" Aizen questioned, also stopping, a certain urgency and seriousness in his voice making itself clear. Gin just looked up, not sure what to say.

"She… doezn't want ya ta look ad her…" he stated questioningly, as if he was unsure of what he was saying. This slightly stunned the brunette, leaving him speechless for a moment or two.

"May I ask why I am being forbidden from seeing her?" he asked patiently.

"Come, my li'l desert rose. Why don't ya want Aizen-sama ta look ad ya?" Gin questioned, brows furrowed in puzzlement. Soeluna choked back sobs as she fought for words, trying not to let her pain show through her tears.

"Please… I don't want him to see me… like this…" Her voice was too quiet to be called a whisper, but Gin heard it all the same, as did Aizen.

Both men stared in astonishment, utterly taken aback at what the woman had said. Gin peered down at her, the smile leaving his face; he searched her eyes as if trying to pull from them an answer. Aizen however, began to steadily walk forward, picking up stride as he neared the redhead and silvered haired fox.

Soeluna clung to her carrier as the brunette approached, looking as if she was trying to meld with him. She could be visibly seen as trembling as the ex-shinigami leader came within three or four feet of the victim's person. The woman cringed, her whole body going stiff as the man came to stand in front of them, but he never reached a hand out, nor did he make any movement towards the woman.

"My dear… I could not possibly think less of you for what that monster did to you." Laxing slightly, though very little, Soeluna opened her eyes staring blankly into the crook of Gin's neck, surprise filling her gaze. Turning her head slowly, scarlet spheres came to gaze meekly up at the authoritative figure that stood before her. Silently, she bit back her tears, the man offering up a comforting smile as he bent over to her level, looking at her eye to eye.

"May I?" he asked gently, acting as the utmost of gentlemen. The woman bit her lip before looking up to Gin for advice and reassurance. The silver haired fox just shrugged his shoulders, looking down at the redhead as he gave his answer.

"Iz up ta ya lass. Ya don't have ta do notin' ya don't wanna." Looking down at the floor, Soeluna battled with the idea, not sure what to do as shock clouded her thoughts. Finally after a long awaiting silence, she lifted her head, though her gaze was unable to meet the brown eyes that watched her softly and respectfully. Closing her eyes, the woman gave a short nod before again looking her face from the man's eyes, too ashamed to meet his gaze.

The brunette gave a soft smile, followed by a gentle whisper.

"Thank you." Reaching one hand out, the man took the captain's jacket between his fingers, moving it back just enough to reveal the woman's left shoulder. Through this act, Aizen was careful to make sure never to at any point actually touch Soeluna, respecting her for going along with this despite her discomfort. What the man saw shocked and appalled him, his brows bowing as he stared at the wounds. The redhead just turned to bury her face into Gin, who in turn looked away sadly, already having seen firsthand the damage the Sexta had caused.

All along her neck and leading down to her chest were large love bites. Dark purple and black bruises, some so bad that they had bled, covered her skin in dried blood that had scabbed over. There were large hand-shaped bruises around her neck where the Sixth had choked her. Aizen noted that the hand-shaped bruises perfectly matched the size and shape of the offenders hand.

But none of these things caught his attention as much as the large bite mark that was dug into the conjunction of her neck and shoulder. It appeared as if an animal like a wolf or a bear had sunk its fangs into her. The wound was so deep. The only thing to disprove this was the fact that the shape of the bite obviously showed it was human.

He had not failed to notice earlier the large bruise on her face from when the Sexta had punched her. Overall, she was completely battered and bruised, he needn't look beyond her shoulders to discern that much. The ex-shinigami lowered his gaze, finding he was unable to look the woman in the face, the severity of the damage the Sexta had inflicted upon her setting in and enraging him with a deep anger he did not understand. Still though, he did his best to hide this.

It no longer mattered what Grimmjaw's excuse was, there was no way to deny what he had done. It was impossible, even for Aizen, to fully understand the extent of the damage he had gouged into Soeluna.

"Thank you, my dear. You have been very brave through this whole ordeal. I thank you for your cooperation." Aizen said sensitively, closing the woman's shirt around her in a secure manner.

Turning, he began to approach the Sexta, his eyes burning with rage, though he did a remarkable job of hiding it. As he drew hear, the two guard Espadas backed away, leaving Grimmjaw unrestrained, save for the bonds that held his hands. Feeling his

oppressors reseeding, the man made an attempt to stand, but Aizen would not have it. Letting his retsu flare, an unimaginable force washed over the Sixth, forcing him to the ground as he gasped for air. It smothered him, choking him as it sucked the very air out of his lungs. His mind began to swim. He couldn't think, couldn't react, couldn't breath. Everything was heavy and hazy. Hot sweat began to roll down his body. He was being crushed.

"Grimmjaw Jaggerjack, you have been charged with raping and sexually battering your fraccion. With the evidence surmounted against you, there is no doubt in my mind that you are indeed guilty. Now all that is left to decide is your punishment."

"What the f***!" he spat, though it came out as more of a gasp. "She's my fraccion! I can do whatever the f*** I want with her! Ya were the one who told us our fraccions were for us to do with as we please!" Up until now Grimmjaw had been frozen with disbelief, but when he had heard his "leader" declaring him guilty, he lost it. Unbridled rage consumed him as he struggled against the retsu that oppressed him. The intangible force grew stronger at his resistance.

"This is true," Aizen admitted, but the subtle way that all-knowing smirk pulled at his lips only added to his calm, in-control air, "but one of your jobs was to look after this woman as she is my personal guest. Yet it seams you failed to protect her. One could even say you acted out directly against my orders." At this Grimmjaw grew pale.

"Szayel, take Soeluna and Gin to your lab. I want you to give her a medical exam to determine her heath status. Have her wounds tended to and get her a new uniform." The pink haired scientist nodded, bowing to his leader before turning around to chase his fraccions off with orders to prepare the lab.

Turning back around, he respectfully motioned for Gin to follow him, sparing Grimmjaw one final glare before starting towards the door. Gin trailed behind the pink haired scientist, Soeluna holding on to him tight, doing her best to hide from the many stares that followed her. As the retreating figures neared the hallway that led from the throne room, Halibel stepped forward, and though she said nothing, Aizen knew exactly what she wanted.

"You may go with them if you please," the brunette permitted. As the Third began to pursue them, there was a slight rushing movement of the Fifth in the redhead's direction. However, with a side glance towards the teal haired Espada that laid pined to the floor, Nnoitra stopped, hesitating slightly before moving back into his spot.

As the sound of footsteps faded into the distance, Aizen turned to the guilty man that lay sweaty and writhing on the floor, struggling against the retsu that oppressed him. At once, his whole continence changed. His visage molded itself into that of anger, though still, in its own vague and distilled manner, it did not seem completely heartfelt and genuine.

"And now Sexta, for your punishment…"

_Well, tell me what you think so far. If you have any suggestions, tell me. As I said, she will have her revenge._


	18. All Aizen's Horses, And All Aizen's Men

**Author:** GrimmjowsMaster-D.O.G.-

**Rating: **M for language and rape.

**Warning: **mention of rape and language

_Ok, so things are going to be rather… depressing for a while. Maybe even somewhat… I don't want to say boring, tedious maybe. I lost my main editor so there will probably be quite a few spelling and grammar errors. I apologize for these. Feel free to point them out to me. I was torn between updating it with what little I had edited or waiting however long it took to get a new editor. I decided to publish. I've already kept you guys waiting long enough. I just hope these errors don't distract from the reading too much._

_I don't exactly know how the beta system works on , but if anyone would like to edit for me, it would be much appreciated. However, if you do, I must warn you that I usually give my editors a week to edit the chapter I give them, and expect it done and back to me when the week is up. I don't mind it being a little late every now and again__, but don't tolerate habitual slacking. So if you can't comply with this, please don't offer._

_I want to thank you all for your tolerance of chapter 15. I am glad to report that I did not get one single flame about it. Thank you for that. I hope you believe me when I say that that chapter was as hard and as painful for me to write as it was for you to read._

_I'd also like to take this opportunity to issue a warning. As I have stated, Beauty From Pain is based off the true story of a friend of mine and the hardships and unjust tragedies that faced her. It is, as I have said, very dark. I will not alter the course of events nor lighten them for the sake of society's approval. I intend to present you with the truth, no matter how ghastly it may be. I am not attempting to make any moral, ethical, political, or religious statement by telling this story. I leave it all up to you, the reader, to gleam from it what you will. Sad as it is to say, Soeluna's rape was only the beginning. There will be a few more similarly disastrous events that befall our heroin, interrupted by moments of peace and at times happiness that will make this story an emotional rollercoaster. Be assured, there is a happy ending, but Soeluna will really have to fight for it. So if you had to force your way through chapter 15 or skip it entirely, this story may not be for you. I can't say any of the other scenes will be as graphic as chapter 15, but they are disturbing none the less. I apologize to those who found the rape scene to be too gruesome. But Soeluna's whole story centers around that one point in her life, so I felt I had to put extra detail into it. If you are angry with the course the story takes, I apologize and understand. Your opinions are welcomed and I will do the best I can to make this story enjoyable to you. As the story progresses, we may deviat away from the Bleach story line more and more. I'll keep the whole main idea of the series intact, but it won't end up following the Bleach plotline that closely. Again, I just thought I should warn you._

_Also, I have put a new pole up on my profile. I want to know who you think she should end up with. The results most likely won't have any impact on the story itself, seeing as it is based on a real story therefore preplanned, but it would help the writing if I knew what you guys wanted out of it. Besides, I like knowing what you think. _

**Disclaimer: **I don't own bleach. . . yet ;)

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A wound heals, but the scar remains  
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**Beauty From Pain  
**Chapter 18. And All Aizen's Horses, And All Aizen's Men, Couldn't Put Soeluna Together Again

Gin, he was the only one. Not for lack of trying, the others just couldn't. It was all so different now, so confusing. Everyone was a stranger, nothing could be trusted, Grimmjaw was waiting around every corner. In Gin and Gin alone could she trust.

These days Soeluna was a wreck. Her emotions churned and flared inside of her, changing as abruptly as the wind and without warning. Guilt, she blamed herself for what happened, from that to feeling powerless, to shock and denial at what had happened, from this still to shame, not wanting others to know what had happened to her, further still to fear and on after that to questioning why, then finally, to depression.

As if that wasn't enough, her mental unbalance threw her body into chaos. She suffered horrible migraines and coughing spells. She was always cold and clammy even though it was late July. Her nights were sleepless and tormented by recurring flashbacks of the incident. They had gotten to the point were Gin had to ask Szayel to give her a sedative to help her sleep.

The taste of all foods repulsed and offended her. Even that which she managed to force down was soon vomited back up. All were forced to watch in horror, powerless to help as she slowly wasted away before their eyes. All but one, that is.

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The Soledad was exactly as its name implied; nothing. Really, it was nothing more than a small room with black walls and flooring, no window and only one door. However, once one was inside and the door was closed, the room's bizarre character was brought to life. All light was swallowed up by a darkness blacker than black. No sound could be heard within the space, not even those made by the room's occupancy. Any odor that should have been there disappeared and the atmosphere itself seemed to eat away all retsu. It was as if once in that room, all the world disappeared and you were left surrounded by an absence of everything.

The most maddening part of the Soledad was not the consuming emptiness, but rather, the endlessness of its regions. When the door was closed, one might think that their punishment is only to be left in a small dark room, but if they move to find the wall they never will. The only sense the room leaves you is that of touch. That is so that you can feel that room itself is gone. No walls, no door, nothing to be found. While the room is in affect, one could walk in a straight line till there feet bleed and never find anything. It was simply endless. And after whatever amount of time it took for someone on the outside to open the door, the occupancy would find themselves once more in the center of a small black room, as if they had never moved at all.

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He hadn't meant to. It had just happened. But now he didn't know what to say.

Nnoitra was completely beside himself as he stared down at the redhead who was backed up against the wall like a cornered animal. Scarlet eyes were wide and teary as they watched him in a torrent of panic and fright. Pressing herself against the wall she attempted to get as far away from the man as possible. The Fifth found himself too stunned to react. In all the time he had known her, he had only ever seen her like this once, on the night her brother had tried to kill her.

Gin had had to go to a private meeting that was just for him, Tosen and Aizen, and had, albeit hesitantly, left Soeluna in the Fifths care, him being the only person near at hand who Gin would trust with the woman until he returned. The redhead did not seem comfortable being anywhere without the silver haired fox by her side.

Since the trial, the ex-shinigami had been stuck to her like glue. He was the only one she would trust and her only source of comfort. At first she had been a bit jumpy around Nnoitra, but after the first half hour she had relaxed slightly. Most of the time had been spent in awkward silence, the redhead being too on edge to talk and him not knowing what to say.

Finally, he had suggested they take a walk around the halls, just wanting to get out of the stifling silence of their current situation. She hadn't said anything, but had nodded in agreement, following him into the halls. Nnoitra noted that she had seemed to relax more when they were out in the open.

Maybe it had made her feel less secluded, more like someone would come if she screamed for help. It wasn't like he was going to do anything, but lately the woman was leery of even the smallest things. Not that he could blame her. Then it had happened.

They had been walking down a narrow corridor by some stairs, when she had slipped. Instinctively, Nnoitra had reached out, catching and saving her from what would have been a rather bad fall. But at the feel of the lean Espadas arms around her, the redhead was reminded of another man's arms pinning her down, his hands and lips roving across her body.

She had panicked. Franticly squirming in the Fifth's grasp, she had shoved him away violently, backing away until her back had come to the wall. That had brought them to their present situation.

Soeluna's breathing was deep and heavy as she watched the Espada fretfully. The man really didn't know how to react.

"What'd ya do!" someone shouted from a ways down the hall, their tone serious and threatening.

Nnoitra spun around to see a scowling Gin storming down the hall towards them. Lately the silver foxes chesir grin would dwindle or fade more wile in the presence of or wile discussing the young redhead's condition. As he drew nearer, his usual creepy smile returned, only this time more frightening. Even though the arrancar was taller than Gin, the ex-shinigami's intimidating expression unnerved and even scared him, slightly.

"I asked ya a question, Spoony. What did ya do ta her?" the words were spoken in a low menacing tone, as if with one wrong answer, the Fifth Espada would be struck dead.

"I- I- I-" the arrancar stuttered, not completely sure how to respond or even what he had done for that matter. As he spoke, Soeluna slid down the wall to a crumpled heap on the floor, more out of a sudden weariness that over took her than out of relief.

"Sh-she was going to fall!" Nnoitra finally managed, swinging his arm around violently to point back at the stairs while Gin moved to the woman's side. "I just caught her and she freaked out! I didn't do anything!" The silver haired fox brushed the redhead's hair back and whispered something soothingly to her before turning his attention to the lanky Espada.

"How did ya do it?" he asked, the evil tone of his face laxing slightly, though not enough to ease the arrancars nerves.

"Wha?" The raven haired Espada wasn't sure how that question was to be interpreted, so he simply answered with a question of his own.

"Maybe I should be more specific," Gin stated sternly, "How did ya touch her?" Nnoitra stared blankly at the higher ranked for several minutes, trying to absorb the question, as if the words were a jumbled mess of sounds that had no meaning that he could decipher. Finally, after running them over and over in his mind with a repetitive monotony, he managed to stutter out the closest thing he had to an answer.

"I don't know. I just caught her. She was going ta fall! I just grabbed her. What was I supposed to do!" he blurted out franticly. The ex-shinigami furrowed his brows at the man's answer, his expression more stern then threatening.

"Very well. But be careful next time," he stated, taking a step closer to the lanky Espada. "After what happened, she ain't exactly comfortable with bein' handled," his hushed tone reiterated the point of just how fragile the youth was, not that the Fifth needed reminded. At the man's statement, Nnoitra grew silent. Drawing himself inwards in his brooding nature.

This had been the first time since the 'attack' that Nnoitra had actually been with the woman. He had known things would be different, but this? Everything scared her. Every word put her on edge. Everybody was a stranger to her. There wasn't even a ghost of her former self left. She was completely changed and it was all Grimmjaw's fault.

Tightening his fist, the Fifth grated his teeth in anger. With a snarl he turned, storming off down the halls, a plan formulating in his head as he began to fester in his anger. His feet fell heavily as he strode with purpose, each step ringing out as he clomped along. He knew exactly where he was going and he knew exactly what he wanted.

As he walked he thought over all that had happened in the last week. She was falling apart and all Nnoitra could do was sit there and watch as it happened. He hated that the most. Not being able to do anything to help her as she crumbled.

It was all Grimmjaw. He had hurt her. Destroyed her. He had broken her in ways the Fifth would never have even dreamed of doing. Nnoitra was cruel and heartless in battle, he would do anything to assure himself the victory, but that was a line not even he would cross. But Jaggerjack had. He had betrayed her, taken advantage of her, just because she was stronger than him. A memory flashed through Nnoitra's mind, of a voluptuous green hair Espada he had once betrayed because she two was stronger then him. Because she had looked down upon him. But even then, he couldn't' bring himself to kill her. He wounded her, throwing her in the deserts of Huaco Mundo, but left her her fraccions, unable to leave her completely helpless. Jaggerjack had done worse then kill Soeluna, he had stolen a part of her, killing her slowly from the inside. It was unforgivable.

As the Espada thought of the teal haired criminal, his anger rose, his stride growing a violent pace as he sped up.

Bursting through the doors to Aizen's personal quarters, Nnoitra stomped over to the ex-shinigami's desk, slamming his hands down when he reached it. Though he paid them no mind, there were two others that occupied the room as well. The Fifth scowled down at the man that sat before him as the brunette leaned back in his chair, his aura calm. Yami and Szayel watched distrustfully as the Espada leaned over their leader broodingly, their intreag slightly aroused.

"Nnoitra," Aizen stated with his usual knowing smile, "It is a rare treat for me to see you here in my quarters. What is it you seek?" Nnoitra's expression was fixed with a scowl, his aura filled with a deep rooted rage as he shouted his answer.

"Revenge!" Yami watched as a plotting smile slowly crept across their leaders face. Turning his head towards the Octava, Yami noticed a similar grin growing on the pink haired scientist. It was clear to any that was what all three of the Espadas had come for. They wanted to get Grimmjaw and they wanted to make him pay.

His shadow fell over her. An untouchable control that blocked out the light of her spirit, and in so doing, caused her to slowly wilt.

As the shadow over took her, in consequents, it, too, spread like a plague to all those around her with an effect not so controlling but still as depressing. As this emotional disease spread, an irrepressible gloom pervaded, and consumed, all. Cheer and gayeties seemed slowly to drain from the castle as all moral sunk, like a ship, into the abyss.

The once chaotic and exuberant mess hall grew quiet and stifled, the training rooms became still and barren. A commanding silence oppressed Los Noches with despair.

It was not that everyone suffered this depression out of grief for Soeluna. In truth, only a few really suffered from what had happened. The rest mourned out of respect for her or fear of being reprimanded by any of her high ranked friends.

Halibel had become particularly protective of the female arrancars, and guarded them with overbearing persistence. Stark began to sleep less, and instead, lay in his bed staring distantly at the ceiling, lost in profound meditation. Nnoirta's moods had become worse. His temper and pentad up aura of barely suppressed rage served as the only break in the stillness of the gloom.

He could often be seen tromping down the halls, on his way to Soeluna's room, but never to visit. Once there, he would stand, glaring at the closed door, hands in pockets, a determined look on his face. There he would stay, as minutes bled into hours, unmoving as if wrestling with himself, searching for an answer he needed, but couldn't find, to open that door. At length, when his struggles were unresolved, and his answers not found, he would bow and shake his head despairingly before turning to walk away.

Yami didn't find the Fifths actions to be too peculiar. He often found himself wanting to visit the redhead, but not sure what to say when he got there or how exactly to act around her. No one really knew how to approach the situation, so most tended to avoid the victim, but Yami recognized that if everyone did that, Soeluna would be left feeling alone and unwanted. Like everyone was avoiding her because of something she had had no control over.

As it stood, Gin was the only one who would come near her. Everyone else would shy away, sparing her only pitiful glances. Gin alone still smiled around her.

Though they saw her rarely, the effect this was having on her could be noticed even at a glance. Her skin was a bright pink from all the scrubbing, all the times she had tried to wash the filth away. Yet it remained. She would now take baths habitually after being out of her room, the sense of common filth overpowering her when she met others sorrowful gaze.

She hated that he had used her. That he had taken something so precious from her and had enjoyed it. She now found herself weak and vulnerable. She hated that too.

Soeluna was afraid to shut her eyes, should she see his face. Afraid to sleep, to relive the nightmare in her dreams. His face, his voice, his grin, his smell, his grip on her wrists, the control he had had, how he had reached into her and tainted her.

She could feel him, his presence was always with her. A prison with no bars, an embrace she couldn't push away from. She hated him, cursed him, and she cried alone at night because of him.

She just wanted to wash it all away, make it all like it never happened. She had been strong, she had been respected, she had been happy, but looking at her now you'd never tell.

He had stolen it from her, all of it, and she could never get it back. A memory she could never get out of her head. She stared blankly out at the world wile that night played over and over in her mind. Playing on the back of her eyelids, as if from a projector, every time she closed them. She couldn't escape it.

She found words, at random, from peoples conversations reminded her of him. Someone would ask if she was alright, and he was dragging his tongue across her skin. Someone would offer her food, and she could taste his blood in her mouth. Someone would curse his name, and she could see his arrogant grin as his eyes, like blue fire, swept over her. Someone would say it was alright, or things would get better, and he was once more pounding into her, like an animal.

She knew he was gone, locked away somewhere where he couldn't get her. But her mind didn't. Inside, he would always be there. They could lock him away, leave him rotting in a dungeon for everyone to forget, but they couldn't lock away her fears, the nightmares he had inspired. She couldn't outrun him.

She didn't want to cry, didn't want to give him the satisfaction, the victory of her weakness, but she couldn't hold it in. It was as if there were people in the shadows, mocking her, throwing stones at her heart. Every little thing made her bleed. The burden grew heavy on her shoulders, she couldn't do it, it was all too much. Everything was crushing her, silently destroying her, and she didn't want to fight it.

So tired of fighting, she let the darkness, the nightmares, the people in the shadows, she let them all destroy her. There was nothing left in her to argue, nothing to revolt, no reason left to save herself.

She was broken, she was used, and she was done.

_I know it feels like we didn't get much done this chapter, and I regret to say that the next two or three chapters will probably feel like that. But things will pick up. Again, it you noticed any mistakes, feel free to tell me. Reviews would be appreciated. Thank you for reading, and thank you for staying with us this far. Hope to update soon._

_Sincerely,_

_GrimmjawsMaster_


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